Ancient coins, scales and weights: a medieval treasure from the bottom of the Gulf of Tallinn

In 2011, one of the Estonian television channels reported a treasure chest at the bottom of the Gulf of Tallinn.

Inside there were about 200 coins of the XIII century, antique scales with a full set of weights and goods, including several leather sheaths covered with double-sided ornament. According to researchers, it was a very expensive product, and the chest, most likely, belonged to the merchant.

“These coins helped to date the entire contents of the chest, but, for example, my hair stood on end from this leather scabbard, some of which are almost completely preserved,” said the keeper of the archaeological collection of the Historical Museum Krista Sarv.

In Estonia, no more than a dozen similar scabbards were found. And with each of them, scientists are treated as carefully as possible. The value of the found scabbard in the chest is a two-sided ornament.

As for weights with a full set of weights, this is the only instance that has survived to the present day. They served to determine the weight of silver and spices, which means that the owner of the sunken suitcase could well have been a merchant.

“The owner of this box is most likely an ordinary merchant. The fact that the chest was originally a separate box for coins, once again suggests that we are dealing with a professional who kept money separately. The chest served him the suitcase with which he traveled,” suggested Krista Sarv.