AUTHOR: Paul CIOBOTARU
TTHE MONETARY HOARD FROM CIORĂŞTI, GALAŢI COUNTY
Danubius, XLII, Galati, 2024, pp. 83-121.
Abstract
The Numismatic collection housed in the “Teodor Cincu” History Museum, Tecuci, contains pieces discovered during various archaeological surveys (Poiana, Nicorești – Banu, Liești etc) and also from acquisitions and found by chance.
Beside the solitary coins, the museum also has seven monetary hoards discovered during some agricultural works in Ţepu (Valea Sociului 1964, Dealul Baltagan 1965), Ţigănești, Siliște, Ciorăști and during some property repair and maintenance works in Tecuci (“Ion Petrovici” Auditorium and 13 Septembrie Street).
The monetary hoard from Ciorăști vas discovered by Tănase Catinca in 1965 at “Olința” point, located to the north-east of the village, towards Huștiul village. On a typewritten note, under the “Observations” section, located on the page where this hoard was first recorded, it is mentioned that it was discovered in 1967 at “La Gherasim” point. For Ciorăști village, the Directory of Archaeological and Numismatic Discoveries of Galati County does not mention the point “La Gherasim” either in Ciorăști or other villages associated with Priponești commune.
The above-mentioned hoard consists of 54 high-value silver coins issued between 1589 and 1683 as it follows: the Kingdom of Poland 1 orts Zygmunt III Waza 1617, 2 orts (vierteltaler) Georg Wilhelm von Hohenzollern 1624; Republic of the United Provinces 9 lion-thalers (leeuwendaalder) – Gelderland 1635 (1), Holland f. a. (1), 1589 (2), 1604 (1), West Friesland 1670 (1), Utrecht 1616 (1), Overijssel 1616 (1), Uncertain 1613 (1); Holy Roman Empire 38 florins (28 stüber) – Emden 1624/1637 (8), 1624/1657 (8), Oldenburg-Jever (Anton Günter) 1640 (14), 1649/1651 (6), Zwolle (Mathias I) f. a. (1), 1683 (1), Kampen 1 lion-thaler – 1618 (1), and 38 florins (28 stüber) Mathias I f.a. (2), 1621 (1).
The composition of this hoard is typical for monetary deposits from this period, when high-value silver coins (thalers and their subdivisions: 1/4 thalers, 1/2 thalers, 28 stübers, etc.) circulated on the domestic market (Dobrogea, Moldavia and Wallachia). These monetary types are the most representative and numerous coins from the 17th-century discoveries, both from Moldavia and from Wallachia and Dobrogea.