Археологичид баруун Туркийн эртний Нотион хотын нутаг дэвсгэрээс хоёр мянга гаруй жилийн настай Персийн алтан зоосны цуглуулгыг олжээ.
Мичиганы их сургуулийн судлаачид 2023 онд Нотион хотын археологийн судалгааны явцад жижиг саванд хийж булсан уг эрдэнэсийг илрүүлсэн байна. Туркийн Соёл, аялал жуулчлалын яамнаас уг олдворыг нийтлэх зөвшөөрөл олгосноор мэргэжилтнүүд түүхийн урт хугацаанд далд байсан эд зүйлсийг судлах боломжтой болжээ. Олдвор дунд Ахеменидын эзэнт гүрний үед үйлдвэрлэсэн, нүүрэн талдаа сөгдөж буй харваачийн дүрс бүхий “дарик” хэмээх алтан зооснууд багтаж байна. Судлаачдын таамаглаж буйгаар эдгээр зоосыг МЭӨ V зуунд Нотион хотоос зүүн хойд зүгт орших Сардис хотод цутгасан байх магадлалтай аж.
Археологич Кристофер Раттегийн тайлбарласнаар, үнэт металл бүхий зоосыг ийм байдлаар нуух нь тухайн үед гэнэтийн ноцтой үйл явдал тохиолдсоныг илтгэдэг байна. Нотион хот нь Перс болон Грекийн хүчний нөлөөллийн бүсэд оршиж, улс төрийн тогтворгүй байдалд өртдөг стратегийн чухал цэг байжээ. Иймд эзэмшигч нь зоосоо буцааж авах боломжгүй болсон нь тухайн үеийн дайн тулаан эсвэл гэнэтийн гамшигтай холбоотой байж болзошгүй гэж үзэж байна.
Түүхийн эх сурвалжид дурдсанаар, нэг дарик зоос нь цэргийн нэг сарын цалинтай тэнцдэг байсан тул уг алтан зооснууд нь хөлсний цэргүүдийн цалин эсвэл цэргийн ажиллагааны санхүүжилт байсан байх өндөр магадлалтай юм. Мөн уг олдвор нь Персийн алтан зоосны он цагийг нарийвчлан тогтооход чухал ач холбогдолтой “зангуу” болж байна. Оксфордын их сургуулийн судлаач Эндрю Медоузын үзэж буйгаар, археологийн баттай баримт бүхий энэхүү олдвор нь Ахеменидын үеийн зоосны түүхийг дахин тодорхойлоход туслах шинжлэх ухааны нэн чухал ач холбогдолтой нээлт юм.
Дэлгэрэнгүйг эх сурвалжаас харах
↓Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
Archaeologists have uncovered a hidden stash of Persian gold coins in the ancient city of Notion in western Turkey. The coins, buried in a small pot more than two millennia ago, may have been used to pay mercenary soldiers during conflicts between Persian and Athenian forces.
The discovery was made in 2023 by researchers from the University of Michigan as part of the Notion Archaeological Survey. The find was recently approved for publication by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, allowing experts to study a treasure that had remained hidden since antiquity.
The hoard contains darics, gold coins issued by the Achaemenid Persian Empire. Each coin shows a kneeling archer, a design that became the signature image of Persian gold currency. Researchers believe the coins were likely produced in the fifth century B.C., possibly in Sardis, an ancient city located about 60 miles northeast of Notion.
The Lost Treasure Of A City Trapped In War
Finding a buried coin hoard like this is extremely unusual. People who hid valuable coins usually expected to come back and collect them later, meaning the owner of this treasure likely faced an unexpected event that made recovery impossible.
According to Christopher Ratté, professor of ancient Mediterranean art and archaeology at the University of Michigan and director of the Notion Archaeological Survey, the discovery points to a sudden disruption in the owner’s plans.
“The hoard was found in the corner of a room in a structure buried beneath the Hellenistic house. Presumably, it was stored there for safekeeping and for some reason never recovered,” he said. “No one ever buries a hoard of coins, especially precious metalcoins, without intending to retrieve it. So only the gravest misfortune can explain the preservation of such a treasure.”
As explained by the Notion Archaeological Survey, that misfortune may have been linked to the conflicts that surrounded Notion. The city was located along the western coast of modern-day Turkey and became a strategic point in the rivalry between Persian and Greek powers.
The site was part of the Persian Empire in the sixth century B.C., later came under Greek control, and returned to Persian rule before the arrival of Alexander the Great in 334 B.C. This constant political change placed the city close to the front lines of regional struggles.
Gold May Have Paid Soldiers
The most intriguing explanation is that the coins were connected to the payment of mercenary troops. Ancient armies often depended on hired fighters, and keeping these soldiers in service required a reliable source of money. Historical records from Xenophon indicate that one daric was roughly equivalent to a soldier’s monthly pay.
A large collection of these gold coins may therefore have served as a military fund for an upcoming campaign. Researchers remain cautious about this idea.
“It is still interesting and important, but the loss of knowledge is incalculable. In the case of this hoard, we know precisely where it was found, and we have a great deal of circumstantial evidence for when it was deposited, probably in the late fifth century B.C.” Ratté noted
Greek historians recorded the use of foreign mercenaries during conflicts involving Athenian and Persian forces in the area around Notion. If an army suffered a defeat or if a military operation suddenly ended, the person responsible for the coins may have been unable to return for them.
Another possibility is that the gold was used for a different purpose. Because Notion was an important military harbor, the coins could also have been part of payments linked to construction work or improvements to the waterfront.
Ancient Persian Coins Reveal History
The hoard is also giving researchers a new way to study the timeline of Persian darics. These coins were used from the sixth century B.C. until the rise of Alexander the Great around 330 B.C., with their design changing only slightly over time. Those small stylistic differences are important because they help specialists determine when individual coins were produced. The newly discovered group of coins comes with archaeological evidence that helps establish its date, creating a useful reference point for future studies.
“This hoard will provide a firm date that can serve as an anchor to help fix the chronology of the entire sequence of coins,” Ratté explained.
Andrew Meadows, former curator of coins at the British Museum and the American Numismatic Society, and now at Oxford University, explained that the discovery is a major find for researchers studying Persian currency. As reported by a press release published by the University of Michigan:
“If it can be established accurately by other means, to allow us to fine-tune the chronology of the Achaemenid gold coinage. This is a spectacular find … of the highest importance.”
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