The gold brooch, jade stone, and bronze pin found at Troy date back to 2500 B.C.E. — 1,300 years before the legendary Trojan War.
Turkish Ministry of Culture and TourismThe gold brooch is about 4,500 years old.
During recent excavations at the ancient city of Troy, archaeologists unearthed a gold brooch and a rare jade stone.
The Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism described the finds as the most significant archaeological discoveries at the site in the last 100 years. Both artifacts are believed to be around 4,500 years old.
The ancient city of Troy has undergone continuous excavations for the last 160 years. These particular items were found during digs supported by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s “Heritage for the Future” project.
The Gold Brooch And Jade Stone Found In Troy
Turkish Ministry of Culture and TourismThe gold brooch is the best preserved of its kind that’s ever been found.
The gold brooch, jade stone, and a bronze pin were found in the archaeological layers of Troy II and date back to 2500 B.C.E., according to a social media post from Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy. Troy II was one of the earliest settlement phases of the ancient city.
The gold brooch is one of only three of its kind ever discovered and is incredibly well-preserved. The artifact features four spiral rings at the top with a long, tapered pin. It would have been used to fasten clothing, but it was also a symbol of social status.
The jade stone may have once been part of a piece of jewelry, and its presence in Troy suggests that the city was well-connected to the rest of the world via trade routes even 4,500 years ago.
Turkish Ministry of Culture and TourismThe jade stone was extremely rare for this region and time period.
“The brooch is of high quality and artistic craftsmanship, proving that it was made locally in Troy,” Reyhan Körpe, an excavation leader and professor at Turkey’s Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, told Hürriyet Daily News. “The jade stone, on the other hand, may have come… from China or Afghanistan — showing that Troy was a major trade hub during the Bronze Age.”
The Artifacts Settle A Long-Standing Debate About Troy II
There is still much to be learned about ancient Troy and its role throughout the ages. These latest discoveries provide further clues to the city’s social hierarchies and trade practices with faraway regions.
But these items have also answered a question about Troy II. Archaeologists have long debated when this era of settlement truly began.
Turkish Ministry of Culture and TourismA bronze pin found alongside the brooch and the jade.
Many estimates put the start somewhere between 2300 B.C.E. and 2200 B.C.E. However, the 4,500-year-old brooch, jade stone, and pin provide evidence that settlement began at least as early as 2500 B.C.E.
Archaeological digs at the ancient city of Troy have been ongoing for over 160 years. This particular excavation was supported by Turkey’s “Heritage for the Future” project, which began in 2023 to highlight and provide funds for the various archaeological investigations being undertaken in Turkey.
Both the gold brooch and the jade stone will be put on display at the Troy Museum, which is located near the archaeological site.
After reading about the gold brooch and rare jade stone found in ancient Troy, discover whether the Trojan horse was actually real. Then, go inside seven lost cities around the world.
