In the mountains of the Norwegian community Clothes pusher one was found Gold coin the Byzantine era. It appears to be more than a thousand years old and was found almost two thousand miles from its place of origin. The gold coin – in excellent condition – is believed to have been produced between 977 and 1025 AD, as shown by the dotted circles on the edge. The find is known as Histamenon nomesmaa standard weight coin first introduced around 960 AD. It was probably made in Constantinople, now Istanbul, the former capital of the Byzantine Empire.
The rare gold coin found in Norway
The coin features the image of Jesus holding a Bible on one side, while the brothers Basil II and Constantine VII, governors of the Byzantine Empire, are depicted on the other side. Two inscriptions on the coin read Jesusù Christ, King of those who reign in Latin, e.g Basil and Constantine, Roman Emperors in Greece.
The gold coin found in Norway and its “journey” from Byzantium
How did this find come to Norway? There seems to be a theory that the Norwegian king Harald III, who ruled the country between 1045 and 1066, had previously served as guardian of the Byzantine emperors around 1034 and may have had access to the coin. Furthermore, it was custom at the time that the guards had the right to sack the palace upon the death of an emperor, and during Harald’s stay in Byzantium three of them died. A team of archaeologists is currently investigating the Vestre Slidre site and further excavations in the area will begin in 2024.
Gloria Vergani