A man named Andreas K. of Vienna, Austria was simply digging in his backyard when he randomly found jewelry and other precious objects. All of the items were caked with dirt and filth at the time. Andreas truly believed they were worthless but held on to them in his basement for two years. When cleaning out his basement in 2011, he came across the jewelry again. But by this point, the soil had dried and some of the dirt even fell off. This was able to reveal the precious metals and jewels underneath. What does one do when they come across stuff like this? Well, post pictures of the stuff online!
[Image via Bettina Sidonie/Associated Press]An amateur archeologist saw them and encouraged Andreas to report the discovery to the Austrian Federal Monument Agency. Personnel at the Agency were thrilled to hear from Andreas and were able to analyze the pieces. Andreas’s discovery was described by the Agency as one of the most significant discoveries of medieval treasure in Austria. In total, he discovered 200 rings, brooches, gold-plated silver plates, and other ornate objects. Many were decorated with ornaments like pearls or fossilized coral. He decided to keep the artifacts but he claims that he plans to loan the collection to one of Austria’s museums. Who knows, they might be in one right now!