The coins, neatly organized into 1,060 bags of approximately 100 coins each, highlight the careful structuring. This mysterious assortment includes coins with the Chinese inscriptions "Banliang", reflecting a practice that was popular more than 2,200 years ago. Interestingly, many of the coins have square holes, which is a characteristic feature of Chinese currency.
Ethan Segal, associate professor of history at the University of Michigan, notes that such treasures were buried primarily in the Middle Ages (13-16 centuries). The Japanese initially adopted Chinese coin designs with square holes, making it easier to string coins into strings of 100 pieces. However, independent production of Japanese coins ceased around the mid-10th century due to changes in the economy and a decrease in the supply of copper ore.
The mystery surrounding these coin hoards concerns their purpose. Some speculate that they served as a form of ancient banking, providing secure repositories of wealth. Others suggest symbolic or religious meaning, while a more practical theory implies that the coins were buried during periods of war to hide from enemy forces.
William Farris, a professor of Japanese history at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, favors the idea of using coins as a kind of "bank" for safekeeping. Nevertheless, this mysterious treasure raises many questions, the study of which may lead to answers to questions about who could have buried them and when.
Questions about the origin of the treasure, its creators and the time of its placement also remain open. Segal suggests that many of the coins may have come from the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), which produced large quantities of coins. However, precise dating of the treasure is currently difficult, since only a small part of the coins has been analyzed.
This discovery brings exciting prospects for the archeology and history of Japan. Questions surrounding the purpose and origin of the treasure remain open, and future research may lead to new discoveries that reveal the secrets of this Japanese treasure.
Source: asahi.com
