A metal detectorist in the Netherlands has stumbled upon a trove of ancient gold coins that are believed to have been used in cult rituals as offerings to pagan gods. The discovery sheds light on a mysterious worship site with ties to seasonal equinoxes.
The cache of over 100 gold and silver coins was unearthed by a metal detectorist near Hezingen, a hamlet close to the Dutch-German border. Dating back to around 700 A.D., the coins, along with metal jewelry, were found buried underground in 2020 and 2021.
Archaeologists investigating the site have uncovered evidence suggesting that it was once an open-air cult location dating back to the seventh century. Rows of posts, remnants of animal sacrifices, and the discovery of a nearby high-status settlement indicate that the site served as a ritual sacrifice spot for pagan deities.
The coins, known as “devil’s money,” were likely placed at the site as offerings over a span of 100 years alongside the animal sacrifices. The archaeologists, led by Jan-Willem de Kort of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, also identified postholes aligned with spring and autumn equinoxes, hinting at seasonal harvest rituals.
The study authors speculate that the site was used by local elites to showcase their status through valuable offerings. The decline in the site’s use by the 700s A.D., earlier than the spread of Christianity in the region, raises questions about the area’s early adoption of the new religion.
Overall, the discovery of this ancient cult site and its ritual offerings provides intriguing insights into the religious practices and societal dynamics of the region during the early medieval period.
As Christianity spread in the early eighth century, efforts were made to encourage pre-Christian groups in Hezingen to convert to Christianity by forsaking their worship of pagan deities and discontinuing the practice of offering what was referred to as “devil’s money” in sacrifices. The town of Hezingen, which had been deserted by this time, was believed by the researchers to have had affluent leaders, evident from the valuable gold and silver artifacts discovered. These leaders were presumed to have been among the first in the region to embrace Christianity.
