Metaphysical Boundaries

Gold and emerald pendant, Ostrogothic, 3rd century AD

The Gessel Gold Hoard

A 3,300-year-old stash of gleaming treasures that's one of the largest Bronze Age hoards from Europe.

The Gessel gold hoard is among the largest treasures ever discovered in prehistoric Europe but has only three pieces of jewelry in it.

In April 2011, excavators working on a natural gas pipeline in northern Germany unearthed one of the largest gold hoards from prehistoric Europe. Dated to about 1300 B.C., the Gessel gold hoard consists of 117 artifacts that together weigh over 3.7 pounds (1.7 kilograms).

The hoard was discovered in the village of Gessel near the town of Syke and is now the centerpiece of the Forum Gesseler Goldhort museum. Around 3,300 years ago, someone placed the gold objects in a linen bag, secured the bag with six bronze pins, and buried it in the dirt — but archaeologists aren't sure why.

The Gessel gold hoard includes 82 spiral rings linked into eight chains of 10 rings and one chain of two rings. An additional 32 spirals of various sizes were also in the hoard. Rather than jewelry, these spirals were likely a form of currency in the Middle Bronze Age and were crafted from recycled gold, according to prehistoric archaeologist Babette Ludowici.

Only three items in the hoard were personal accessories: a large, gold bracelet; a twisted armband; and a brooch. While the two armbands appear to have been unfinished, the brooch was elaborately decorated.

Originally, the brooch was about 6.3 inches (16 centimeters) long, but it was bent and the pin was removed prior to burial in the hoard. An artisan created a ladder-band pattern around the top and bottom of the clasp. The main part of the clasp features five raised sun symbols and six sets of concentric rings stamped into the metal. According to a 2012 study, it is the only ancient brooch made of solid gold to have been found in Central Europe.

Although the Gessel gold hoard is the first scientifically excavated hoard from prehistoric Germany, its burial is still a mystery. The fact that the objects were tightly compacted and that some were bent before burial led archaeologist Stefan Winghart to suggest they were deliberately collected into a hoard rather than hastily thrown together.

Excavations near the hoard's discovery did not reveal any evidence of a contemporaneous settlement or grave, but experts think the hoard may represent a collection of personal wealth or be part of a metalsmith's collection.

A new research project announced in spring 2026 will attempt to determine where the gold came from, as an initial analysis suggested a possible Central Asia origin. Experts will also try to figure out who owned the Gessel gold hoard and why they buried it over three millennia ago.

By Kristina Killgrove,

https://www.pennlive.com/business/2026/06/company-wants-to-put-2-data-centers-on-former-quarry-land-near-hershey.html

There are plans to open a data center on the Swatara Creek. This is in my actual back yard. This would kill one of the few walkable towns around here.

The president bragged that his 34-year-old personal assistant, who rarely leaves his side, is "the only one who loved him as much as his wife and his kids."

The Washington Post | By Fritz Hahn | June 23, 2026

This is a gift 🎁 link to this informative & beautiful interactive history of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Above is a GIF made from some of the photos. Below are a few more photos, but I recommend you see and interact with the post for yourself, using the above link.

The Solidarity Marchers cooling off in the Reflecting Pool in 1968. (Keystone/Getty Images)

A midsummer morning surprise birthday breakfast at dawn in 1974. (The Washington Post/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

An inauguration celebration with tens of thousands on hand as Bill Clinton took office in 1993. (Dana Walker/Getty Images)

People exercise near the Reflecting Pool in November 2015. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

__________________________ GIF Photo Descriptions : 1) Civil rights activists gather in and around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool during the Poor People’s March on Washington in 1968. (Pictorial Parade/Getty Images); 2) Work begins on the new Lincoln memorial grounds and the Reflecting Pool. (Bettmann/Bettmann Archive); 3) An amphibious aircraft on the Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial in 1923. (Library of Congress/Library of Congress); 4) A group of young boys playing in the Reflecting Pool in 1926. (Photo 12/Photo 12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images); 5) A group of men and boys prepare their toy sailboats for launch in 1928. (Interim Archives/Getty Images) Narrative on GIF's Second Slide: A reflecting pool at the western end of the National Mall was included in the 1902 McMillan Plan, which guided the creation of D.C.’s monumental core. Designed by Henry Bacon, also the architect of the Lincoln Memorial, it was dedicated in 1922 and quickly became a popular recreation destination for D.C. residents.

Bronze ritual wine vessel, China, Shang Dynasty, 1300-1050 BC