Digging ancient graves, 'hit the trick' of a 1,500-year-old smuggled silver workshop

Archaeologists in the UK have discovered a monumental ancient structure, not only the lavish tomb of a powerful noblewoman, but also the largest illegal silver workshop of the Roman period. Code in the UK.

According to Ancient Origins, the first structure of the lavish ancient tomb was discovered in 2005 at Grange Farm in Gillingham, Kent (England). Archaeologists inspecting the area before undertaking a housing project discovered two iron spears, then a major excavation project has been underway since then.

Excavation work and one of the smuggled silver ingots found

In addition to the ancient tomb of a female head of a powerful Roman family in England, archaeologists recovered a total of 453 Roman coins, 20,000 pieces of pottery and 8,000 animal bones, along with a treasure trove of artifacts. other priceless.

The recent discovery is 15kg of secondary lead oxide products, which can only arise from silver mining. This is evidence leading to an illegal silversmithing workshop, hidden in closed doors.

Dr James Gerrad from the University of Newcastle (UK) said it is possible that this illegal silver workshop is not used to mint counterfeit money, but to make silver objects. The Romans considered gold and silver the "backbone" of the island's economy, and the manufacture of these precious metals was controlled by the empire. Therefore, the hidden silver workshop in the house is considered illegal.

The noblewoman had also been found in earlier excavations, resting in a lead coffin, her body good enough to suggest that she was well fed and well cared for.

The age of the cluster of ancient tombs is the 6th century AD. Archaeologists are still learning more about the mysterious silver workshop.