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The emergence of counterfeit money beyond the current market is not unfamiliar to us; we can easily hear about it, see it on television. However, the presence of 'counterfeit money' dates back to ancient times, making it a truly fascinating discovery. This revelation comes from the work of archaeologist Tzilla Eshel, who discovered it while researching the chemical composition of 35 ancient silver artifacts from the Bronze Age. These treasures were found at archaeological sites around Israel and are determined to be from the 12th century BCE.
Long before coins came into existence, silver was widely used as a form of currency in the ancient Mediterranean region. Initially, the value of silver was determined by its weight; people would use silver fragments or small pieces of jewelry to make small-value purchases and use silver ingots for larger transactions. At that time, gold was also used as a form of currency but was rarer and more expensive. Silver, on the other hand, was much cheaper and more common.
Eshel and the research team discovered 8 items out of 35 intentionally crafted with lower-quality materials. Specifically, they used a cheaper alloy of bronze to replace most of the inner core, while the outer appearance still resembled pure silver. These silver items were found in the region known as Canaan, formerly ruled by ancient Egyptians. Researchers believe that the counterfeiting may have originated from ancient Egyptians, aiming to conceal the diminishing supply of their silver and the failed attempt to establish silver as a widespread currency.
Eshel shares, 'The shortage of silver is likely linked to the collapse at the end of the Bronze Age. Although the counterfeiting of silver items continued after the departure of the ancient Egyptians from Canaan, it is highly probable that they initiated this counterfeiting.'The research findings by Eshel and her team will be published in January 2021 in the Journal of Archaeological Science. The publication will highlight new discoveries regarding the earliest appearance of substandard silver items in two regions, Beit Shean in northern Israel and Canaan.
According to the findings, the silver batch discovered in Beit Shean weighed approximately 157g, containing silver bars with only 40% silver content inside, the rest being copper and other inexpensive metals. These bars had a silver surface, but the core was predominantly made of copper through metal melting, pouring into molds, and slowly cooling.On the other hand, the batch found in Canaan weighed only 98g, with pure silver constituting around 20%. The deficiency was compensated by adding tin, a chemical element that enhances copper's shine, making it resemble silver. Both counterfeiting methods in the two regions required precision, time, and knowledge for execution. Both were sophisticated counterfeiting techniques, but adding tin seemed to be the easier approach.Eshel also expressed doubts that although initially a deceitful practice, over time, this seemed to have been accepted. Because counterfeit silver would corrode and turn green over time, there's no reason why people wouldn't recognize it.According to Livescience
