A metal detectorist recently discovered a hoard of more than 100 gold and silver coins buried underground in the Netherlands, prompting archaeologists to investigate the site further. However, now that they know why the coins were hidden, archaeologists may have left them untouched.
According to a new study published in Medieval Archaeology, the coins, which were buried for 1,300 years in the Netherlands, were likely used in cult rituals. What’s more, archaeologists have also discovered the remains of an open-air cult site dating back to the seventh century. It’s possible that the hoard of coins was a form of what is known as “devil’s money,” a type of offering that was common in pagan cult sites.
The discovery was made near Hezingen, a small village near the Dutch border with Germany. The coins date back to around 700 AD, including some rare finds from the Frankish Empire, and were unearthed along with metal jewelry in 2020 and 2021.
Several clues helped archaeologists confirm that the site where the coins were found had once been a cult center. They discovered rows of wooden pillars, evidence of a large building near an ancient crossroads, remains of animal sacrifices, and more. The researchers also determined that the gold coins and jewelry had been placed there at intervals over a period of 100 years, interspersed with animal sacrifices, making it clear that the site was used for sacrificial rites to pagan gods.
The archaeologists, led by Jan-Willem de Kort of the Netherlands Cultural Heritage Agency, also found signs of an ancient structure, possibly from the sixth century, as well as 17 wooden postholes that were oriented according to the spring and autumn equinoxes, linking the site to seasonal harvest rituals.
“The cult site was likely connected to a nearby high-status settlement that had a cult house or enclosed ceremonial building,” the study authors write. “The offerings may have been related to fertility rituals, as the pillars were oriented to the rising and setting of the sun during the spring and autumn equinoxes.”
In total, the gold and silver coins were discovered in three different areas. One site had a single gold coin, while another had 24 whole or fragmented coins, along with gold and silver jewelry. The third area also contained gold coins and jewelry. “I think this cult site was used primarily by local elites to emphasize their status, and of course, it does this best with valuable objects,” de Kort said, according to Phys.org. “Finds at other cult sites are probably more the result of personal offerings and are therefore less valuable.”
The site’s elite use and its time period raise questions about the spread of Christianity in the region. According to the study, the site’s use ceased in the seventh century, earlier than the spread of Christianity in the area, leading scholars to suggest that the settlement’s leaders may have converted to Christianity sooner than others.
According to early missionary texts, to convert pre-Christian groups to Christianity, they had to stop worshipping pagan gods and abandon sacrifices with so-called “devil’s money.” Since Heisingen was abandoned by the early eighth century, when Christianity began to spread, the study’s authors suggest that the site’s leaders, wealthy as indicated by the value of coins and jewelry, were among the first in the region to convert to Christianity.
