07.12.2025 08:46
In archaeological excavations conducted in a small village in France, three large ceramic vessels were found buried in the floor of an ancient Roman house. While the vessels contained tons of Roman coins dating back 1800 years, it was concluded that the house-like structure was operated as a secret bank.
Experts from the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) in France have uncovered a large collection of coins from the Roman period during their excavation. The findings provide significant clues about how people stored their money and their saving methods during that time.
THE FIRST POT CONTAINED 38 KG OF COINS
The first pot found by the excavation team contained approximately 38 kilograms of coins. It was noted that this amount corresponds to about 23,000 to 24,000 ancient coins. The second pot was even heavier; its total weight reached 50 kilograms, and it is estimated to have contained around 18,000 to 19,000 coins. The third pot was largely empty, with only a few coins detected at the bottom. It was stated that the total number of coins discovered exceeded 40,000. The coins are dated between AD 280 and 310, with some depicting the Gallic Emperors who had an independent period.
"HOUSE-TYPE DEPOSIT ACCOUNT"
Experts pointed out that this finding is different from a typical burial treasure example. It was determined that the ceramic pots were placed in specially dug pits within the house, with their openings left flush with the floor. This arrangement allowed homeowners to easily access the pots and add or remove money as needed. According to archaeologists, this structure functioned as a type of "house-type fixed deposit account" or a secret safe in ancient times.
COINS WILL BE EXAMINED ONE BY ONE
The discovery reveals that even those living in rural areas during the Roman period were able to save large amounts of money and stored it systematically. Experts now aim to examine the coins one by one to obtain new data regarding the inflation rates, economic fluctuations, and commercial activities in the region during that period.