Ancient Shipwreck Found in France’s Rhône River Reveals Hundreds of Roman Coins

An mentation of an past shipwreck. Credit: GreekReporter Archive

An past shipwreck uncovered successful the Rhône River successful France has yielded 847 Roman coins, a find researchers are calling 1 of the astir singular successful caller decades.

The find was made adjacent the Trinquetaille territory of Arles during an excavation led by the Musée Départemental de l’Arles Antique successful concern with CNRS, Inrap, Drassm, the Musée National de la Marine, and the backstage steadfast Ipso Facto.

About 15 specialists, including archaeologists, ceramologists, restorers, surveyors, and photographers, took portion successful the mission. The squad was led by underwater archaeologist David Djaoui, who has directed erstwhile excavations successful the Rhône.

Work continued nether hard conditions

The enactment took spot successful beardown currents and near-zero visibility. Despite those challenges, divers identified the remains of a vessel measuring astir 20 meters (65 feet) long. Directly supra the hull, they located a numismatic treasure.

The coins were recovered successful stages. In mid-September, divers archetypal brought up 60 pieces. Days later, they recovered different 80. The breakthrough came erstwhile they uncovered a compact clump of much than 600 coins. In total, 847 coins were retrieved.

Coins day to the Roman Empire

Most of the postulation dates to the 3rd period AD. Among the pieces is simply a uncommon sestertius of Emperor Trajan, minted successful 116 AD. Many coins stay successful strikingly bully information owed to anaerobic stream sediments that protected them from corrosion for astir 2,000 years.

Researchers suggest accidental loss

Researchers judge the coins were accidentally mislaid from a boat, perchance during a wreck oregon mishap connected the river. No instrumentality has been found.

Djaoui explained that they would emotion to find the vas of these coins, astir apt a treasure thorax similar the ones successful films. He acknowledged the chances are slim but added that the Rhône continues to uncover bonzer finds.

Coins to acquisition survey and display

All of the coins volition acquisition elaborate investigation by a numismatist, who volition found their chronology, imperial portraits, mints of origin, and values. After restoration, they are expected to spell connected nationalist show astatine the Musée Départemental de l’Arles Antique wrong 1 to 2 years.

The Rhône has already produced large archaeological discoveries. In 2004, excavations uncovered a Roman barge. Three years later, a bust of Caesar was recovered, followed by different radical of coins successful 2018.

River seen arsenic cardinal to past Arelate

Researchers accidental the stream was cardinal to past Arelate, a Roman colony that served arsenic some a commercialized hub and a subject proviso center. They judge galore much artifacts stay hidden beneath its waters. Djaoui said that the Rhône successful Arles volition proceed to output discoveries for centuries, adjacent millennia.