Buried treasure found in Córdoba

13 gold coins have been found, wrapped together, by the river in Córdoba

If you know where to look, buried treasure can still be found in Spain. The latest find was not however thanks to a map marked with an ‘X’, but came as part of an archaeological excavation as part of new drainage works in Córdoba, close to the famous Roman Bridge in the city centre.

13 gold coins, escudos, from the reign of Carlos III, dated from 1776 to 1801, and wrapped in a cloth, were found under a layer of limestone which has kept them in a perfect condition for more than two centuries. Each escudo weighs 27 grams and has a diameter of 36mm.

El País reports that Enrique León, the head of the archaeological team, thinks that the coins could have been deliberately hidden ahead of the French invasion, led by General Dupont which pillaged the city in July 1808.

However he thinks the hiding place, next to the river, is a surprising one, as the area is thought to have been used as a rubbish tip at the time.

The mystery that will remain is why the person who hid the coins never returned to dig them up. Or perhaps he did but could not find them.

via Buried treasure found in Córdoba.