Eberswalde Hoard

The Eberswalde Hoard or Treasure of Eberswalde (German: Schatz von Eberswalde or Goldfund von Eberswalde) is a Bronze Age hoard of 81 gold objects with a total weight of 2.59 kg (83 ozt). The largest prehistoric assembly of gold objects ever found in Germany, it is considered to be one of the most important finds from the Central European Bronze Age. Today, it is in Russia, as part of the group of artifacts and works of art looted from Germany at the end of the Second World War.

The hoard was discovered 1 m (3 ft) below the ground surface on the May 16, 1913, during excavations for a house within the grounds of a brass factory at Finow (Oberbarnim), part of Eberswalde in Brandenburg. The factory supervisor alerted Carl Schuchhardt, the director of the Prehistoric Department of the Royal Museums at Berlin, who acceded the hoard to that collection.

The hoard had been deposited in a globular vessel with a lid. In it were eight gold bowls, which contained another 73 gold objects. The bowls were thin-walled chased gold vessels with copious ornamental decoration. The other objects included neck rings, bracelets and 60 wire arm spirals. 55 double spirals were tied into bundles. A gold ingot, a piece of metal shaped like a crucible and two smaller pieces probably represent raw material for the production of such objects. The treasure belongs to the goldsmith known as Villena-type, for its resemblance to the Treasure of Villena.

The hoard used to be thought to represent the stores of a merchant. More recent research suggests that it was of religious significance. The hoard is dated to the 9th century BC.

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