MOSCOW, April 01./ITAR-TASS/. A collection of ancient treasures has been found on a construction site of Rumyantsevo metro station in the southwest of Moscow.
The precious find was discovered when the construction workers were digging on the site of a future metro tunnel. There was a hiding place where three copper jugs with pieces of jewelry and precious stones inside were found, a source from the Construction department of the Moscow administration told Itar-Tass. A first jug full of treasures was found on February 17, but later archeologists found two more jugs.
The hiding place was discovered at the depth of two meters. The jewelry meant for ladies date back to the 15th and early 16th centuries. One of the treasures - a gold suspension, dates back to an even earlier period, the source said.
Experts presume the treasures had been kept in the hiding place since the beginning of the 16th century known as “the time of troubles" in Russia. Judging by the look of the treasures they belonged to a noble family and were passed from generation to generation.
The discovered treasures were turned over to the Moscow museum of history and culture of the pre-revolutionary period. A preliminary agreement was reached that part of the collection would be exhibited at the Rumyantsevo metro station after the metro station was opened.
The Rumyantsevo metro station is another station being built since 2011 as an extension of the Sokolniki (red) metro line which will run from Yugo-Zapadnaya terminal to a new terminal -Salaryevo. The Sokolniki line will be extended for 6.5 more kilometers to open three more metro stations - "Rumyantsevo","Troparevo" and "Salaryevo".
The Moscow authorities hope that the construction of the new metro stations will be completed by the year's end.