Aegina: Ancient jewellery discovered on Kolonna Hill – See photos

Valuable objects dating to the archetypal fractional of the 2nd millennium BC, which apt formed parts of a golden necklace oregon a pendant utilized arsenic a sedate offering, were discovered during an excavation connected Kolonna Hill successful Aegina.

More specifically, during the opening of an excavation trench wrong a ample stone-built structure, located conscionable extracurricular and successful adjacent proximity to the remains of the partition that protected the enlargement of the Middle Bronze Age settlement—the alleged “inner suburb”—eight golden bi-partite disc-shaped pendants (objects typically utilized successful hanging jewellery oregon amulets), 1 golden disc-shaped pendant, 7 golden biconical beads (metal discs often utilized arsenic elements successful jewellery, particularly necklaces), 1 golden cylindrical bead, 8 decorative golden expanse appliqués, and 7 spherical carnelian beads were found. In addition, 12 copper fragments—possibly from tiny knives—and 1 needle/pin were besides uncovered.

Although the stratigraphy of the excavation discourse successful which they were recovered had been disturbed astatine an chartless time, it is tenable to presume that the jewellery constituted sedate goods from a Middle Bronze Age burial, adjacent though nary wide grounds of a preserved tomb was identified.

The golden jewellery, peculiarly the pendants, shows similarities to immoderate of the pieces from the alleged “Aegina Treasure” of prehistoric times—a postulation of jewellery made from precious and semi-precious stones, discovered successful Aegina, illegally exported, and housed successful the British Museum since 1892.

The archaeological tract of Kolonna is located connected the northwestern broadside of the island, adjacent the larboard and the modern municipality of Aegina. Although it is chiefly known for the 6th-century BC Temple of Apollo, Kolonna Hill shows continuous usage implicit time—as a prehistoric settlement, a sanctuary successful humanities periods, the acropolis of the past city, and aboriginal a Byzantine settlement.

The important finds were uncovered during an excavation conducted by the University of Salzburg done the Austrian Archaeological Institute astatine Athens, nether the absorption of Professor Alexander Sokolicek and the supervision of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Piraeus and the Islands. It is evident that, contempt semipermanent research, this elevation inactive has overmuch much to reveal.