Środa Treasure
The Środa Treasure (Polish: skarb ze Środy Śląskiej or skarb średzki) is a hoard of silver and gold coinage, gold jewellery, royal regalia and precious stones found in years 1985–1988 during renovation works in the Silesian town of Środa Śląska, Poland. The discovered artifacts date from the mid 14th century and comprise over 3,000 pieces. Today it is the property of National Museum in Wrocław and has been kept at the Regional Museum in Środa Śląska.
Discovery and excavation
Gold and silver coins were discovered during demolition works and digging for the foundation of the local telephone exchange building in the town of Środa on 8 June 1985.[1][2] The authorities secured the original find (a vase filled with approximately 3,000 Prague groschen),[1][2] however, no serious archaeological study was carried out at that time. Three years later, on 24 May 1988, during another demolition in the vicinity of the first discovery, another, even bigger find was reported (including silver and gold florin coins).[1][2] Most of this new find disappeared before the site was secured by the authorities. In the following days, as enterprising individuals scoured the municipal landfill where rubble from other recently demolished buildings was deposited, reports of more discoveries started appearing; those include the first reports of jewelry.[1][2]
Archaeologists began to investigate the site, and the government announced a plan to buy back items that had been looted. Later, a criminal investigation was launched, targeting those who still refused to turn back the items they had taken. Although many items were recovered, it is agreed that there are still missing items. Looted items have been recovered intermittently.[3]
History
Over the following years, archaeologists and historians have speculated about the treasure's origins, while museums and wealthy individuals have competed for pieces of the treasure.
It is now agreed that the treasure belonged to the King (later Emperor) Charles IV of the House of Luxembourg. Around 1348, needing funds to support his claim to the title King of the Romans, Charles pawned various items to the Jewish banker Muscho (Moshe, Mojżesz) in Środa. The town was then part of the Duchy of Wroclaw (Breslau) and passed under reign of Bohemian kings in 1335.[1][2][4] What is certain is that no one ever reclaimed the treasure, which was left hidden somewhere in the town for hundreds of years.[1][2][4]
The artifacts
Various recovered items have been cataloged, and those that were damaged by the mechanical digger that uncovered them have been restored.[2] Some items were displayed as early as 1985.[2] Since 1995–1997 most of them have been distributed throughout museums in Lower Silesia. The majority of the items are displayed in local museum of Środa Śląska, although in the past exhibits were held in museums including the Archeologicial Museum in Wrocław, National Museum in Wrocław (which supervises the museum in Środa), National Archeological Museum in Warsaw, as well as abroad, in the Museum of Artistic Craft in Dresden, Germany and in Valladolid, Spain.[2]
The treasure is considered immensely valuable, described by some as "one of most valuable archeological finds in the 20th century".[5] In 2006 experts noted that it is difficult to put a value on it, since there are few items of similar type being auctioned anywhere in the world.[6] One estimate from 2001 put the lowest value of the treasure at 50 million dollars;[7] a book published in 2005 put it at 100 million dollars.[8]
Highlights
The most valuable elements of the treasure include:
- a gold woman's crown, which probably belonged to Blanche of Valois, first wife of the emperor Charles IV[1]
- two gold pendants, dating to the 12th century[1]
- two gold pendants, dating to the 13th century[1]
- a medieval gold clasp decorated with precious stones
- a ring with heads of dragons[1]
- a ring with sapphire[1]
- a ring with moon and star
- 39 gold coins[1] (florin)
- 2924[4] or 3924[1] (sources vary) silver coins (Prague groschen)
Gallery
- Regional Museum in Środa Śląska, where the Środa treasure is located.
- Florin from Środa treasure
- Medieval gold pendant
-
See also
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m (in Polish) Skarb Średzki - skarb "tysiąclecia", on the official pages of Polish Police, Środa Śląska Department, last retrieved on 15 December 2013
- ^ a b c d e f g h i (in Polish) Historia odnalezienia Skarbu Średzkiego, official pages of the town, last retrieved on 7 July 2009
- ^ (in Polish) Report of an award to policemen involved in recovering part of the treasure, 25 April 2005
- ^ a b c (in Polish) Skarb Średzki, official pages of the town, last retrieved on 7 July 2009
- ^ (in Polish) Skarb Średzki, official pages of the Środa County, last retrieved on 7 July 2009
- ^ (in Polish) Olsztyn: Proces w sprawie Skarbu Tysiąclecia, 2006-03-28
- ^ (in Polish) Ludmiła Krzak, Przeklęty skarb, 22 May 2001
- ^ Tomasz Bonek, Przeklęty skarb. Opowieść o klejnotach wartych 100 milionów dolarów, które w PRL wyrzucono na śmietnik, Wrocław 2005, ISBN 83-922160-0-8
Further reading
- Zdzisław Skrok, Skarby Polski, Warszawa 2002, ISBN 83-11-09499-3
- Tomasz Bonek, Przeklęty skarb. Opowieść o klejnotach wartych 100 milionów dolarów, które w PRL wyrzucono na śmietnik, Wrocław 2005, ISBN 83-922160-0-8
External links
- The Treasure of Środa Śląska
- Jewels of Europe: The Treasure of Środa Śląska
- v
- t
- e
- Helmet of Skanderbeg (Vienna)
- Archducal hat of Austria (Klosterneuburg)
- Imperial Crown of Austria (Vienna)
- Brilliant Crown of Empress Elisabeth (de) (missing)
- Archducal hat of Tyrol (Mariastein)
- Ducal hat of Styria (Graz)
- Archducal hat of Joseph II (Vienna)
- Crown of Saint Wenceslas (Prague)
- Crown of the Środa Treasure (Środa Śląska)
- Crown of Pedro I (Petrópolis)
- Imperial Crown of Brazil (Petrópolis)
- Coronet of the Imperial Prince of Brazil
- Coronet of Laurels of Princess Isabel
- Crown of Princess Blanche (Munich)
- Crown of Margaret of York (Aachen)
- Crown of Scotland (Edinburgh)
- St Edward's Crown (London)
- State Crown of Mary of Modena (London)
- Tudor Crown (destroyed)
- State Crown of George I (London)
- Coronet of Frederick, Prince of Wales (London)
- Coronation Crown of George IV (London)
- Diamond Diadem
- Crown of Queen Adelaide (London)
- Imperial State Crown (London)
- Small Diamond Crown of Queen Victoria (London)
- Crown of Queen Alexandra (London)
- Coronet of George, Prince of Wales (London)
- Crown of Queen Mary (London)
- Imperial Crown of India (London)
- Crown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (London)
- Coronet of Charles, Prince of Wales (London)
- Diamond Crown of Bulgaria (missing)
- Futou
- Yishanguan
- Tongtianguan
- Mianguan
- Crown of Zvonimir (missing)
- Crown of Christian IV (Copenhagen)
- Crown of Christian V (Copenhagen)
- Crown of the Queen (Copenhagen)
- Crown of Charlemagne (destroyed)
- Crown of Saint Louis (destroyed)
- Crown of Henry IV (destroyed)
- Crown of Louis XV (Paris)
- Crown of Napoleon I (Paris)
- Crown of Napoleon III (destroyed)
- Crown of Empress Eugénie (Paris)
- German State Crown (heraldic)
- Baden:
- Grand Ducal Crown of Baden (Karlsruhe)
- Bavaria:
- Royal Crown of Bavaria (Munich)
- Crown of the Queen of Bavaria (de) (Munich)
- Crown of Queen Therese of Bavaria (Munich)
- Brandenburg:
- Electoral Hat of Brandenburg (Berlin)
- Brunswick-Lüneburg:
- Ducal Crown of Brunswick-Lüneburg
- Hanover:
- Royal Crown of Hanover
- Mecklenburg:
- Wendish Crown (heraldic)
- Prussia:
- Crown of Frederick I (Berlin)
- Crown of Sophia Charlotte of Hanover (Berlin)
- Crown of Wilhelm I (missing)
- Crown of Queen Augusta (missing)
- Crown of Wilhelm II (Hohenzollern Castle)
- Saxony:
- Electoral Hat of Saxony (Dresden)
- Crown of Augustus II the Strong (Dresden)
- Funeral Crown of Augustus II the Strong (Dresden)
- Württemberg:
- Royal Crown of Württemberg (Stuttgart)
- Crown of Greece (Athens)
- Crown of King Kalākaua (Honolulu)
- Crown of Queen Kapiʻolani (Honolulu)
Empire
- Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire (Vienna)
- Iron Crown (Monza)
- Crown of Rudolf II (Vienna)
- Imperial Crowns of Charles VII (Munich)
- Essen Crown (Essen)
- Reliquary Crown of John the Baptist (Aachen)
- Reliquary Crown of Charlemagne (Aachen)
- Crown of Empress Cunigunde (de) (Munich)
- Lily Crown of Empress Cunigunde (Munich)
- Reliquary Crown of Henry II (Munich)
- Salian Funeral Crowns of Spires (Speyer)
- Reliquary Crown of Otto II (Halle (Saale))
- Papal tiaras
- Papier-mâché Tiara (Vatican City)
- Napoleon Tiara (Vatican City)
- Tiara of Pope Pius IX (1846) (Vatican City)
- Spanish Tiara (Vatican City)
- Tiara of Pope Pius IX (Notre Dame, Indiana)
- Palatine Tiara (Vatican City)
- Tiara of Pope John XXIII (Bergamo)
- Tiara of Pope Paul VI (Washington, D.C.)
- Holy Crown of Hungary (Budapest)
- Crown of Stephen Bocskai (Vienna)
- Sasanian crowns
- Empress's Crown (Tehran)
- Kiani Crown (Tehran)
- Pahlavi Crown (Tehran)
- Iron Crown (Monza)
- Royal Crown of Savoy (it) (Turin)
- Crown of Theodelinda (it) (Monza)
- Grand Ducal Crown of Tuscany (missing)
- Crown of Constance of Sicily (Palermo)
- Crown of Baekje (Gongju)
- Crown of Gaya (Yongin)
- Crowns of Silla
- Gold Crown of Geumgwanchong (Gyeongju)
- Gold Crown of Cheonmachong (Gyeongju)
- Gold Crown of Hwangnamdaechong (Seoul)
- Gold Crown of Geumnyeongchong Tumulus (Seoul)
- Gold Crown of Seobongchong Tumulus (Gyeongju)
- Silver Crown (Gyeongju)
- Ducal hat of Liechtenstein (missing; replica: Vaduz)
- Gediminas' Cap (missing)
- Crown of Madagascar
- Crown of Ranavalona III
- Norwegian Crown Prince's Coronet (Trondheim)
- Crown of Norway (Trondheim)
- Crown of the Queen of Norway (Trondheim)
- Crown of Bolesław I the Brave (destroyed; replica: Stará Ľubovňa)
- Swedish Crown (destroyed)
- Muscovy Crown (destroyed)
- Hungarian Crown (destroyed)
- Homagial Crown (destroyed)
- Funeral Crown (missing)
- Queen's Crown (destroyed)
- Crown of Augustus II (Dresden)
- Funeral Crown of Augustus II (Dresden)
- Crown of Augustus III (Warsaw)
- Crown of Maria Josepha (Warsaw)
- Płock Diadem (Płock)
- Crown of João VI (Lisbon)
- Diadem of the Stars (Lisbon)
- Crown of Elisabeta (Bucharest)
- Crown of Maria (Bucharest)
- Steel Crown of Romania (Bucharest)
- "Cap of Monomakh"
- Crown of Kazan Tzardom
- Crown of Tsar Michael Fyodorovich
- Cap of Monomakh of the second set
- Diamond Crown of Tsar Peter I
- Diamond Crown of Tsar Ivan V
- Altabas crown of the third set
- Crown of Empress Catherine I
- Crown of Empress Anna Ivanovna
- Great Imperial Crown
- Maltese Crown
- Small Imperial Crown
- Karađorđević Crown (Belgrade)
- Nemanjić Crowns
- Crown of Stefan Uroš III (Cetinje)
- Crown of Stephen Bocskai (Vienna)
- Royal Crown of Spain (heraldic)
- Royal Crown of Spain (Tumular Crown) (Madrid)
- Crown of Sancho IV (Toledo)
- Crown of Isabella I of Castile (Granada)
- Crown of the Crowned Virgin of the Kings (Seville)
- Crown of the Virgin of the Tabernacle of Toledo (Toledo)
- Crown of Eric XIV (Stockholm)
- Crown of the Queen (Stockholm)
- Crown of Queen Christina (Stockholm)
- Crown of the Heir Apparent (Stockholm)
- Crown of Tahiti (Punaauia)
- Crown of Tonga (Nukuʻalofa)
- Crown of Rus (missing)
- Crowns of Egypt
- Silver Crown of Emperor Tewodros (Ethiopia)
- Raven Crown (Bhutan)
- Shripech (Nepal)
- Crown of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha of Sri Lanka
- Great Crown of Victory (Thailand)