A pile of gold coins and jewelry on a rock. Archaeologists near the Sea of Galilee have discovered a rare, nearly 1,400-year-old hoard of gold coins and jewelry dating to the Byzantine era. The hoard contained 97 pure gold coins and dozens of jewelry pieces, including earrings inlaid with pearls, semi-precious stones and glass. A team found the treasure while investigating the ancient city of Hippos (also known as Sussita), which is on the slopes of the Golan Heights.