El Museo Arqueológico Nacional exhibe el Tesoro de Tomares, el mayor de monedas romanas en España
The Vice Minister of Culture and Sports, Macarena O’Neill, inaugurated at the National Archaeological Museum the exhibition ‘Coins that emerge from the earth. The Treasure of Tomares’. The exhibition, which will be on display until September 27, brings together three of the nineteen Roman coin amphorae, dating from the late 3rd to early 4th century AD, found by chance in 2016 during construction work in the Olivar del Zaudín park in the Seville area.
«This exhibition has a very special meaning for us, as it allows us not only to showcase our work of studying and safeguarding this monetary collection but, above all, to connect with the public to the Archaeological Museum of Seville, temporarily closed due to the comprehensive rehabilitation work being carried out at its headquarters, the former Fine Arts Pavilion designed by architect Aníbal González for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929,» said the Vice Minister. O’Neill emphasized that «the value of the Treasure of Tomares lies in its social and scientific significance, as the concealment in amphorae and the accumulation of the over 50,000 coins found provide very relevant information about the economy of antiquity, as evidenced by the ongoing research project being conducted by the Archaeological Museum of Seville in collaboration with scientists from the University of Seville,» the Vice Minister reiterated at the exhibition opening.
The opening of the exhibition ‘Coins that emerge from the earth. The Treasure of Tomares’ was attended by the Secretary of State for Culture, Jordi Martí, the Director General of Museums and Cultural Sites, Aurora Villalobos, and the Mayor of Tomares, José María Soriano, as well as the directors of the National Archaeological Museums of Seville and National Archaeological Museums, Isabel Izquierdo Peraile and María Soledad Gil de los Reyes, respectively.
«This unprecedented discovery, which made headlines in media outlets around the world, has demonstrated the strength and capacity of the Andalusian archaeological, scientific, and museum system. Andalusia has been able to successfully respond to this challenge of conservation, dissemination, and research by launching research projects, preventive conservation procedures, and transfer and communication programs for the enjoyment of all citizens,» emphasized O’Neill during her speech.
Coins that emerge from the earth
The exhibition, ‘Coins that emerge from the earth. The Treasure of Tomares, Seville’, is the third exhibition to be showcased in the new Novelties Room of the National Archaeological Museum. Curated by the conservators of the Archaeological Museum of Seville, Concepción San Martín Montilla and Pablo Quesada Sanz, and organized in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Sports of the Andalusian Regional Government, it offers the opportunity to firsthand view the largest collection of Roman coins discovered in Spain and one of the largest worldwide, surpassed in size only by the one found in Misurata (Libya).
The so-called ‘Treasure of Tomares’ was found by chance in 2016 during construction work in the Olivar del Zaudín Park. Subsequent investigations revealed that this location corresponded to an olive estate from ancient Híspalis, the Roman-era Seville. The discovery consisted of a set of nineteen oil amphorae used as containers for over 50,000 coins (called nummi), dating from the late 3rd to early 4th century AD.
In the temporary exhibition at the National Archaeological Museum, three of the original containers can be seen, two of them still sealed with their intact contents. The third is fragmented and displayed alongside the 2,800 coins emerging from it. To enhance the historical context, the exhibition is complemented by a selection of these coins, bronze pieces with a superficial silver coating belonging to the nine emperors who succeeded each other during this period, as well as seven specimens considered unique due to the exceptional iconography of their reverses. This extraordinary collection provides valuable information on the economy, society, and politics during the Tetrarchy period, marking the end of the 3rd-century crisis, a crucial historical moment still under study today.
‘Coins that emerge from the earth. The Treasure of Tomares, Seville’, can be enjoyed in the Novelties Room of the MAN free of charge until September 28, 2025. Additionally, the exhibition is complemented by a program including a roundtable discussion, a lecture, and a self-guided tour linked to the permanent collection. Since 2020, due to the closure to the public of the main headquarters of the Archaeological Museum of Seville, located in the Maria Luisa Park of Seville, for its conditioning and rehabilitation works, the Treasure of Tomares is kept at the Cultural Heritage Logistics Center (CLPC) of the Department of Culture and Sports of the Andalusian Regional Government.
