Środa Treasure

The Środa Treasure (Polish: skarb ze Środy Śląskiej, skarb średzki) is a hoard of silver and gold coins, plus gold jewellery and some precious stones. The hoard dates from the mid 14th century. Its largest component is silver coins, of which there are about 3,000 pieces. The hoard was found in years 1985–1988 during renovation works in Silesian town of Środa Śląska, Poland. Today it is mostly kept in the Regional Museum in Środa Śląska (although the owner of the hoard is the National Museum in Wrocław).

The golden crown of the Środa treasure

Discovery and excavation

Gold and silver coins were discovered during demolition works and digging for the foundation of the local telephone exchange building in the town of Środa on 8 June 1985.[1][2] The authorities secured the original find (a vase filled with approximately 3,000 Prague groschen),[1][2] however, no serious archaeological study was carried out at that time. Three years later, on 24 May 1988, during another demolition in the vicinity of the first discovery, another, even bigger find was reported (including silver and gold florin coins).[1][2] Most of this new find disappeared before the site was secured by the authorities. In the following days, as enterprising individuals scoured the municipal landfill where rubble from other recently demolished buildings was deposited, reports of more discoveries started appearing; those include the first reports of jewelry.[1][2]

Archaeologists began to investigate the site, and the government announced a plan to buy back items that had been looted. Later, a criminal investigation was launched, targeting those who still refused to turn back the items they had taken. Although many items were recovered, it is agreed that there are still missing items. Looted items have been recovered intermittently.[3]

History

Over the following years, archaeologists and historians have speculated about the treasure's origins, while museums and wealthy individuals have competed for pieces of the treasure.

It is now agreed that the treasure belonged to the King (later Emperor) Charles IV of the House of Luxembourg. Around 1348, needing funds to support his claim to the title King of the Romans, Charles pawned various items to the Jewish banker Muscho (Moshe, Mojżesz) in Środa (the town of Środa was then part of the Duchy of Wroclaw (Breslau) which in 1335 had passed under reign of Bohemian kings).[1][2][4] What is certain is that no one ever reclaimed the treasure, which was left hidden somewhere in the town for hundreds of years.[1][2][4]

The artifacts

Various recovered items have been cataloged, and those that were damaged by the mechanical digger that uncovered them have been restored.[2] Some items were displayed as early as 1985.[2] Since 1995–1997 most of them have been distributed throughout museums in Lower Silesia. The majority of the items are displayed in local museum of Środa Śląska, although in the past exhibits were held in museums including the Archeologicial Museum in Wrocław, National Museum in Wrocław (which technically supervises the museum in Środa), National Archeological Museum in Warsaw, as well as abroad, in the Museum of Artistic Craft in Dresden, Germany and in Valladolid, Spain.[2]

The treasure is considered immensely valuable, described by some as "one of most valuable archeological finds in the 20th century".[5] In 2006 experts noted that it is difficult to put a value on it, since there are few items of similar type being auctioned anywhere in the world.[6] One estimate from 2001 put the lowest value of the treasure at 50 million dollars;[7] a book published in 2005 put it at 100 million dollars.[8]

Highlights

The most valuable elements of the treasure include:

  • a gold woman's crown, which probably belonged to Blanche of Valois, first wife of the emperor Charles IV[1]
  • two gold pendants, dating to the 12th century[1]
  • two gold pendants, dating to the 13th century[1]
  • a medieval gold clasp decorated with precious stones
  • a ring with heads of dragons[1]
  • a ring with sapphire[1]
  • a ring with moon and star
  • 39 gold coins[1] (florin)
  • 2924[4] or 3924[1] (sources vary) silver coins (Prague groschen)
  • Regional Museum in Środa Śląska, where the Środa treasure is located.
  • Florin from Środa treasure
  • Medieval gold clasp of the Środa treasure
  • Prague groschen

Notes
  1. (in Polish) Skarb Średzki - skarb "tysiąclecia", on the official pages of Polish Police, Środa Śląska Department, last retrieved on 15 December 2013
  2. (in Polish) Historia odnalezienia Skarbu Średzkiego, official pages of the town, last retrieved on 7 July 2009
  3. (in Polish) Report of an award to policemen involved in recovering part of the treasure, 25 April 2005
  4. (in Polish) Skarb Średzki, official pages of the town, last retrieved on 7 July 2009
  5. (in Polish) Skarb Średzki, official pages of the Środa County, last retrieved on 7 July 2009
  6. (in Polish) Olsztyn: Proces w sprawie Skarbu Tysiąclecia, 2006-03-28
  7. (in Polish) Ludmiła Krzak, Przeklęty skarb, 22 May 2001
  8. Tomasz Bonek, Przeklęty skarb. Opowieść o klejnotach wartych 100 milionów dolarów, które w PRL wyrzucono na śmietnik, Wrocław 2005, ISBN 83-922160-0-8

Further reading
  • Zdzisław Skrok, Skarby Polski, Warszawa 2002, ISBN 83-11-09499-3
  • Tomasz Bonek, Przeklęty skarb. Opowieść o klejnotach wartych 100 milionów dolarów, które w PRL wyrzucono na śmietnik, Wrocław 2005, ISBN 83-922160-0-8
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