Ancient Croatian Shipwreck Yields Record-Breaking Gold Treasures

A late 7th or early 8th-century vessel lying off the coast of Mljet, Croatia, has yielded a spectacular assemblage of gold and high-status ornaments after years of underwater excavation. Among the recovered artifacts are gold coins issued by four Byzantine Heraclian emperors, a signet ring deemed too valuable for ordinary use, and jewelry set with pearls, rubies, emeralds and a green gemstone. The total weight of cleaned gold exceeds 600 grams, making it the biggest haul ever recorded from a Mediterranean shipwreck.

Pavle Dugonjic and Igor Miholjek of the Croatian Conservation Institute presented the findings, while Stanford archaeologist Justin Leidwanger called the site the most significant of its era for studying the empire’s decline and the Mediterranean’s maritime networks. The discovery adds to a series of recent Byzantine finds across the region.