A holidaymaker found a 2,000-year-old gold pendant on a beach while looking for fossils.
Carlo Bast spotted the charm from the first century AD known as a berlock on the sand.
The 27-year-old was trying to find fossilised sea urchins on the shore.
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Carlo – a forester, of Mittweida near Leipzig, Germany, was holidaying on the island of Rügen in the Baltic Sea when he found the pendant.
Carlo told What’s the Jam: “I discovered the berlock while collecting fossils on Rügen Island.
“It was lying in the mouth of a small stream that flows into the sea there.
“It was lying under small stones right on the beach.
“I didn’t know how old it was at first, I thought someone had lost a piece of jewellery.”
He added: “It wasn’t until this year that I did some further research.
“It was quickly confirmed to me what it was, and the following week I met with an archaeologist on Rügen.
“It turns out it is a rare form of berlock.
“I don’t know how much the piece would be worth to a collector.
“As it is very rare jewellery from the 1st century, there is no market for it, not even an illegal market, so its value is difficult to determine.”
Bast said he has since handed over the rare item to the state authorities.
Carlo added “It is now in the care of the state.
“For me, such cultural treasures are priceless and belong to the state.
“Unfortunately, the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania does not yet have an archaeological museum.
“But when it is built, the pendant will certainly be exhibited there.
“I believe it will be finished in 2031.”
He added: “It is being stored in their archives for now.”
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