Gold Trove Linked to Famed Aegina Treasure Discovered on Greek Isle

Excavations at Kolona, an archaeological site on the Greek island of Aegina, have uncovered a trove of gold jewelry dating to the Middle Bronze Age. The discovery was made inside a large stone building near a defensive wall built during the ancient settlement’s expansion, just outside what is generally considered the site’s inner area.

The site, located near Aegina’s modern northwest harbor, was under continuous excavation last year, with the jewelry hoard marking one of the season’s highlights, according to the Greek Ministry of Culture.

Among the discoveries was a variety of gold ornaments: disc-shaped pendants, some double-sided and others featuring biconical elements; delicate gold plaques; and beads of carnelian—a reddish-orange chalcedony quartz, also known as “sunset stone,” which was associated with courage in ancient Rome. All together, the items likely comprise a single piece of jewelry, likely a necklace or pendant.

Archaeologists noted that some of the unearthed gold bears similarities to objects associated with the so-called Aegina Treasure, a Minoan gold hoard reportedly discovered on the island of the same name. The collection has been part of the British Museum since 1892. Kolona itself has a long history of occupation by various civilizations and was also an ancient site of worship. Its best-known ruin, a temple of Apollo dating to the 6th century BC, represents just one layer in successive settlements at the site that reaches the Byzantine era.

The latest excavation is overseen by Alexander Sokolicek of the University of Salzburg, in collaboration with the Austrian Archaeological Institute in Athens and under the auspices of Greek heritage authorities. The discovery was first reported by Heritage Daily.