LAVA

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Location

City

Alata

County

Corse-du-Sud

Region

Corsica

Country

France

Lat/Long/Alt

41.986 / 8.663 / 0 view

Location details

Centred on field

Find spot comment

The hoard was found in the Gulf of Lava, close to the villa of Alata.

Information

7478

Permalink

https://chre.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/hoard/7478

Hoard name

LAVA

Alternative names

AJACCIO; «Trésor d'un navire romain trouvé en Méditerranée»; «Trésor de Corse»

Data type

Hoard

Date of discovery (from)

1956

(to)

1986

Total number of coins

447

Summary

The discovery of gold jewellery, objects and coinage in the Lava Gulf off the coast of Corsica is reputed to have begun in the nineteenth century after a chance find by a coral fisherman. 41 aurei or multiples of aurei first appeared on the antiquities market in 1956 (35 aurei and 6 multiples) followed by further discoveries in 1971 and in 1985. It is reputed to have included between 400 and 600 aurei and multiples of aurei of Gallienus, Claudius II, Quintillus and Aurelian, jewellery and gold finger rings which were melted down, a gold dish with a medallion of Gallienus at its centre, and possibly a gold statuette.

Details
Coins Summary
Coins
Rating
Archaeological context
Containers
Objects
References
Reports
Images
Credit

Discovery method

Other chance find
Land Use

Above high water
Comment

The assemblage was found scattered over the sea bed at a depth of between 0.2m and 6 metres. Some were stuck within a hard concretion while others were under rocks or in a layer of sand.
Closing reign (earliest)

Aurelian
Terminal year (earliest)

272
Closing reign (latest)

Aurelian
Terminal year (latest)

273
Opening year (earliest)

64
Opening year (latest)

65
Coin-level data

Available to enter

Fetching coin data

Numismatic rating

Good
Context rating

Good
Findspot rating

Fair

Natural features

Maritime
Site comment

It is suggested that the assemblage was part of a cargo of a ship which sank in the Bay of Lava in the period AD 271-273. However, no evidence of any ship, pottery or other cargo have been found. Some of the coins appear to show signs of having been burned.
Site class

Marine

Context

Shipwreck