7. Ophel Treasure



On September 9, 2013, a treasure was found during a Hebrew University excavation at the foot of Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It consisted of two bundles containing 36 gold coins from the Byzantine era, gold and silver jewelry, a gold medallion with a menorah, and a 10-centimeter medallion with a ram's horn and a Torah scroll etched into it.
 
The hoard was buried in a small depression in the floor, along with a smaller gold medallion, a gold coil with a silver clasp, and two pendants, all of which are believed to be Torah scroll ornamentations.
 
The discovery was unearthed just five days into the latest phase of the Ophel excavation, and can be dated to the late Byzantine period (early seventh century CE). The gold treasure was discovered in a ruined Byzantine public structure a mere 50 meters from the Temple Mount's southern wall.
 
Given the date of the items and the manner in which they were found, archaeologists estimate that they were abandoned during the Persian conquest of Jerusalem in 614 CE. The 36 gold coins can be dated to the reigns of different Byzantine emperors, ranging from the middle of the fourth century CE to the early seventh century CE.

9. Ringlemere Gold Cup



In 2001, Mr. Cliff Bradshaw, an amateur archaeologist and metal detectorist, found a hoard in the Ringlemere barrow near Kent, England.
 
Mr. Bradshaw's main area of interest is the early Anglo-Saxons of 400AD - 600AD, which led to him studying and scouring the local countryside of southeast Kent for Anglo-Saxon remains. In the course of his explorations as a detectorist he found a number of items, including a beautiful silver Anglo-Saxon strap end, three sceattas, and many brooch fragments which were fairly close together. The number and proximity of these items led him to believe that they were not simply accidental losses but that this was an inhabited Saxon settlement, and that he would find a burial mound nearby.
 
Over the months when he had access to the field, he carefully scanned all aspects of the land. After a while, he found an Anglo-Saxon gilded brooch at a depth of eight to ten inches. Pleased with the previous finding, he continued his search on the northern perimeter of his suspected Saxon burial site, where he found a 14cm tall cup with corrugated sides, which was badly crushed by a plough.
 
The cup resembled a late Neolithic (approximately 2300 BC) ceramic beaker with Corded Ware decoration, but dates to a much later period, which is the reason why Bradshaw notified the authorities.
 
The hoard was bought by the British Museum for the amount of £270,000 (roughly US$520,000). The money was split between Mr. Bradshaw and the Smith family, who own Ringlemere Farm.
 
The money to secure the cup for the nation was raised through contributions by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the National Art Collections Fund, and The British Museum Friends. This also enabled the site to be properly excavated, revealing a funerary complex from the Early Bronze Age.