Salzburg Researchers Find Bronze Age Gold in Greece

An archaeological team from the University of Salzburg in Austria discovered Bronze Age gold jewelry on the Greek island of Ägina. The team has excavated on Ägina for nearly 60 years. The jewelry is remarkably well-preserved and now belongs to the Greek state.

Alexander Sokolicek, the excavation leader, notes the gold and gemstones did not originate on the island or nearby. This suggests the materials were imported or the jewelry was crafted elsewhere before burial. The team deliberately kept the find secret for months due to the ongoing threat of grave robbing.

Researchers are prioritizing understanding the connections the jewelry reveals about past people. Determining the monetary value of the treasure is secondary to learning about the relationships and networks of those who created and possessed it. The team believes further study will yield more answers, but the origin of the materials remains open.