During excavations at the Sosha Village East 03 archaeological site in Maebashi, Japan, archaeologists came across a remarkable find: a cache of more than 100,000 ancient coins, some of which originated in China and were made more than 2,000 years ago.

These coins include the Ban Liang (coin of 175 BC), China’s first single currency, and other coins from the seventh to thirteenth centuries. They were also tied in groups of approximately 100 coins each and secured with wicker ropes.

The coins were likely buried quickly because the site was close to wealthy homes owned by influential people in medieval Japan, perhaps as a precaution against impending war.

The excavated coins were found in an area of ​​\u200b\u200babout 60 centimeters high and a meter wide, there was an incredible number of links – 1060 pieces. In some places there was evidence of 10 ties, equivalent to about a thousand coins, all decorated with traces of rice mats.

A careful examination of the 334 captured coins revealed the striking diversity of 44 different currencies. These coins originated in a period spanning from the Western Han Dynasty to the Southern Song Dynasty in China. The oldest of these, “Ban Liang”, dates back to B.C. It dates back to 175 BC. is.

The last coin in this hoard was minted in 1265 during the Southern Song Dynasty, and leading experts believe that these coins were hidden during the turbulent Kamakura period (1185-1333). It should be noted that the dating results are preliminary and can be improved with additional research.

The archaeological site is part of an approximately one kilometer area that also includes the Sosha Mounds, San’o Temple Ruins, and Ueno Kokubunji Temple, indicating the area’s prominent position as a center of activity from the late Kofun period to the Ritsuryo period. Source