Treasure of El Carambolo

The original treasure

The Treasure of El Carambolo (Spanish: Tesoro del Carambolo) was found in El Carambolo, Spain, 3 kilometers west of Seville, on 30 September 1958. The discovery of the treasure hoard spurred interest in the Tartessos culture, but recent scholars have debated whether the treasure was a product of local culture or of the Phoenicians. The treasure was found during renovations being made at a pigeon shooting society. It consists of 21 pieces of crafted gold: a necklace with pendants, two bracelets, two ox-hide-shaped pectorals, and 16 plaques that may have made up a necklace or diadem. The jewelry had been buried inside a ceramic vessel. Following the discovery, archaeologist Juan de Mata Carriazo excavated the site. The treasure has been dated to the 8th century BCE, with the exception of the necklace, which is thought to be from 6th century BCE Cyprus. The hoard itself is thought to have been buried in the 6th century BCE. The discovery of a statue of the Phoenician goddess Astarte cast doubt on the interpretation of the site as an indigenous settlement and led some to argue that it was more Phoenician than Tartessian. Further excavations at the site revealed a Phoenician religious sanctuary.

After years of displaying a replica while the original treasure was locked in a safe, the Archeological Museum of Seville has put the original artifacts on permanent display since January 2012.

External links

• Media related to at Wikimedia Commons
• Archaeological Museum of Seville - item description