Roman Hoard found in Germany.

[*Alex]

An amateur illegally metal detecting has found this hoard.

http://www.thelocal.de/20140219/german-amateur-treasure-hunter-bags-sensational-roman-hoard

Alex

[Sam]

Very interesting , thank you for sharing Alex.

[Arados]

Indeed a great find that captures the imagination...who was the owner of all those leaf brooches?

Thanks for sharing.

[SC]

Likely not brooches but pendants hanging from an item of clothing - possibly a woman's dress.

Shawn

[PeterD]

My newspaper reports this today and says "Archaeologists are now trying to determine whether it may be the Nibelung treasure, which inspired Wagner's Das Rheingold the first of four operas that constitute his epic Ring Cycle. The Nibelungen were the royal family of the Burgundians, a Germanic tribe that settled in the Rhine Valley in the fifth century.

The rise and fall of the tribe inspired a poem about Seigfried, whose treasure is stolen and throne into the Rhine.

The fact that the trove was found on land does not discount a link - the river has shifted course substantially over the centuries. The hoard has been dated to AD 406-407."

Good luck in proving that!

[benito]

How sad.
"In this case, a silver folding chair was "brutally torn out of the earth and destroyed," .

[Carausius]

You can be sure that if there is an absurd, unprovable sexy claim to make regarding this treasure, some archeologist will make it. That is their modus operandi for landing massive funding for their digs. Meanwhile, metal detectorists, with nothing but a hunch, find this material at no cost to the taxpayer or other benefactor.

Of course, that does justify stealing or recklessly damaging the artifacts.

[SC]

Give me a break!  A lovely set of items, but hardly the size and scope of treasure necessary to launch the Niebelungenleid, or 18 hours of operatic glory.

And as everyone knows, the treasure remains at the bottom of the Rhine under the watchful eyes of the Rhinemaidens not far from the charred and sodden ruins of Valhalla!

Shawn

[Carausius]

Give me a break!  A lovely set of items, but hardly the size and scope of treasure necessary to launch the Niebelungenleid, or 18 hours of operatic glory.

Exactly, Shawn; but the archaeology lobby can't establish the monopoly on artifacts that they so desperately seek (and the funding to line their own pockets), unless the public believes every find is of monumental importance!

[SC]

You are right about that.  Though newspaper editors also get a little bit of the blame.

I wonder if the golden leaf pendants will inspire the next Brunnhilde costume at Beyreuth?

Shawn