Discover the secret jar of gold coins buried under the ancient temple

The metal money jar contains 505 gold coins, existing from 1000 - 1200, dug from a depth of more than two meters.

Workers discovered a covered metal jar buried about 2.4 meters deep while cleaning a wasteland for gardening in Jambukeswarar temple , Tamil Nadu state, Ancient Origins on March 5. They inform the temple administrators, the police, and the local authorities.

The ancient jar contains hundreds of gold coins dug from the ground.(Photo: Ancient Origins).

When opening the jar, the authorities found a total of 505 gold coins, weighing 1,716 grams, mostly small coins, except for one large one. Realizing that they were very old, the police contacted archaeologists. Initial research shows that these coins are inscribed with Arab letters and can be produced between 1000-1200.

The history of the temple can provide a few clues about the origin of the gold coin jar. According to experts, the Jambukeswarar temple was built 1,800 years ago, during the Chola dynasty.The Chola dynasty was good at trading and had extensive relations with merchants, not only in Southeast Asia but also in the Indian Ocean region.

Most likely 505 gold coins originated from the Arab traders who have been here. Afterwards, the royal family or wealthy merchants donated it to the Jambukeswarar temple. It is thought that the temple received many contributions including silver statues, gold ornaments and real estate.

Due to preserving many valuable objects, Jambukeswarar temple was also looked at by many thieves. In the 14th century, General Ulugh Khan sacked the temple. Maybe the ancients buried gold coins to protect it from attackers. After that, they could not retrieve the jar because they had forgotten where it was buried or were killed.

Ancient jars and gold coins are stored in storage for further research. Experts will find out exactly what history and culture they belong to. It is currently unknown whether they will be exhibited or returned to the temple.

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