Moscow, Feb.12 (SANA) The Stary Ladoga City Museum in Russia’s Leningrad region announced Thursday the discovery of 23 silver coins dating to the Arab Caliphate period between 697 and 816 along the right bank of the Volkhov River in northwestern Russia.
The museum said in a statement, cited by Russia Today (RT), that the discovery near Stary Ladoga is of significant scientific importance, noting that Arab silver served as a principal currency for international trade between the eighth and eleventh centuries.
The newly discovered collection, now part of the museum’s holdings, provides material evidence of flourishing trade relations and activity along the Volga trade route, also known as the route “from the Varangians to the Arabs,” the statement said.
According to the museum, the coins will be used for scientific research and displayed in exhibitions. Experts say the find could help clarify patterns of monetary circulation in Ladoga, refine understanding of trade routes and determine the region’s role in large-scale economic processes during the early Middle Ages.
Stary Ladoga, considered one of Russia’s oldest settlements, was founded no later than the mid-seventh century and is regarded as the first capital of ancient Rus. The town contains around 160 historical monuments, including a fortress, churches and monasteries.
In a separate development, Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova announced Wednesday the discovery of a treasure trove of about 20,000 silver coins hidden inside a pottery vessel on the second floor of a 17th-century merchant’s mansion belonging to Averky Kirillov. She described the cache as one of the most important archaeological discoveries in recent years.
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