Banks are better places to store your money than under your mattress or in your walls, but not everyone trusts banks, including someone who put 44 gold coins into a wall in the 7th century.
The coins were discovered by Israeli archaeologists almost 1,400 years after they were stashed, the Israeli Antiquities Authority shared on Monday.
The stash of coins was found at Banias, once called Paneas, which has been called an important spiritual site throughout history, the authority shared.
The excavation of Banias was funded by the Israel Electric Corporation and has been done by the nearby Druze holy site of Nabi Khadr. At the site earlier this year, there was an uncovering of a church that archaeologists have alleged is the birthplace of Saint Peter.
"The gold coin hoard is on a par with the Byzantine Church, possibly the Church of Saint Peter, that was recently discovered," Raya Shurky, director of the National Parks Authority, said in a press release.
The coins found, though, are pure gold and weigh about 6oz, with engravings of emperors Phocas and Heraclius on them. It is believed that they were hidden during the Muslim conquest of the area sometime around 635.
Gabriela Bijovsky, an expert on ancient coins who examined the hoard, said in a press release that "most of the coins are of the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius."
Dr. Yoav Lerer, the director of the excavation, shared a statement explaining what experts believed happened to the owner of the coins who hid them.
"The discovery reflects a specific moment in time when we can imagine the owner concealing his fortune in the threat of war, hoping to return one day to retrieve his property," Lerer said.
He added that they now know the owner wasn't so fortunate as to be able to return to his hidden treasure.
Experts are looking into the discovery of the coins, sharing that they are unveiling new details about the economy of the Byzantine rule in the area.
The Byzantine Empire, a continuation of the Roman Empire following its collapse, was centered around modern-day Istanbul. Several other remnants of the time period were discovered, including pottery kilns, water channels, and buildings with mosaic flooring, something Shurky said has more meaning than some might think.
"The finds include the remains of a mosaic floor and a stone engraved with many crosses, indicating that Banias became a Christian pilgrim site," Shurky said.
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