A historic discovery was made during water pipeline construction activities in the town of Tomares, located in the Sevilla region of southern Spain. An excavator, digging approximately one meter deep in El Olivar del Zaudín Park, struck hard objects beneath the soil.
Following the halt of the work, an inspection revealed numerous ancient clay vessels (amphorae) placed side by side and stacked. While 10 amphorae were damaged during the excavation, 9 were determined to have been unearthed intact.
Experts from the Sevilla Archaeological Museum, dispatched to the area along with local cultural officials, cordoned off the site and initiated a salvage excavation. Thousands of coins found in the damaged amphorae were taken to the museum for restoration and examination activities.
Ana Navarro, Director of the Sevilla Archaeological Museum, announced that the coins found in the amphorae were silver-plated bronze follis and dated between 290 and 310 AD.
It was stated that the coins feature busts of Roman Emperors Constantine I and Galerius, along with official mint marks of the period. Experts noted that the coins appeared almost unused, retaining their original appearance from the day they left the mint.
According to archaeologists, the amphorae, normally used for transporting olive oil, were this time effectively used as a strongbox. The coins, found in a special compartment concealed with bricks and mortar, are believed to have belonged to a military garrison depot or a tax collection center.
Historians speculate that the coins may have been stored for paying Roman soldiers' wages or for sending collected taxes to the imperial center, but were buried due to a possible attack or internal unrest.
Restoration, cleaning, and cataloging activities are ongoing in the laboratories of the Sevilla Archaeological Museum for the coins, which weigh approximately 600 kilograms and are estimated to number over 50,000.