2,000-year-old Roman coins found on isolated Swedish island leave experts puzzled
The discovery of ancient relics on a Swedish island has left experts puzzled.
Two silver Roman coins — known as denarii — were unearthed on Gotska Sandön, an isolated island off the southeastern coast of Sweden in the Baltic Sea, according to a March 24 news release from Södertörn University. One of the coins dates to the rule of Roman emperor Trajan (98-117) while the second coin dates to Antoninus Pius’ time (161), according to the researchers.
Experts said the coins are an exciting find, but they raise several questions.
Similar silver Roman coins are not unusual finds in the neighboring island of Gotland, but archaeologists said they aren’t sure how the coins ended up in Gotska Sandön, according to the university.
One working theory is that the coins came from an ancient shipwreck along the island’s coast, experts said.
Another theory is that the coins are somehow connected to the remains of hearths and fireplaces that have been also found around the island, according to the university. Other theories could tie the coins to an ancient settlement on the island, or that the coins are linked to the ancient production of seal oil.
Gotska Sandön is the “most solitary island” in the Baltic, according to its website. Experts from the university said they have been working on an archaeological project exploring the site since 2020, adding that further research this year may provide an explanation for the coins’ presence on the island.
This story was originally published April 17, 2023 at 12:52 PM with the headline "2,000-year-old Roman coins found on isolated Swedish island leave experts puzzled."
