The treasure hoard was unearthed in the nineteenth century at the Hill of St Louis in Carthage, which at the time of its deposition was the largest city of Africa.
The treasure recovered was of 31 exquisite silver pieces Dating to the second half of the fourth century AD, the Carthage Treasure comprises 31 different objects, primarily luxury silver tableware and jewellery that must have belonged to a wealthy Roman family who for some reason decided to bury it for safe-keeping.
Most likely that the treasure was hidden from the Vandals. The Vandals, led by Gaiseric, invaded Africa Proconsulare from Spain in 429 and in 439 the city became capital of the Vandal Kingdom.
Inscribed in the centre of one of the dishes around the tondo is D D ICRESCONI CLARENT, which is associated with the Cresconii, a powerful Roman North African family in Carthage who are well known from deeds and records of office-holders at this time.
The buried treasure was found in tunnel of the Hill of St Louis in Carthage in old Punic ruins seen below.
The hill of saint louis once housed the relics of French King. A new cathedral was built in in 1897 built over the top of a Punic temple that had later Roman occupation but over it at one time. You can see the church below in 1899. Today the church is museum.
Most of the treasure was purchased by Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks, a senior curator at the British Museum, who bequeathed it to the museum upon his death in 1897. However, a small part of the treasure can be found in the Louvre, including one of the silver covered bowls.
You can see the treasure today in the British Museum.
Is there more treasure hidden in Carthage. The mind boggles. After all you have city built on city built on a city built over the top by a modern city. Who knows what hidden treasures still linger there?
There may be well some Punic treasure still hidden not recovered in the looting of the centuries.
Kanacki.