Riches in the Ground How Did Ancient Greeks Protect Private Wealth?

Les richesses enfouies. Comment les Grecs anciens protégeaient-ils leur patrimoine privé ?

Frédérique Duyrat
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Frédérique Duyrat: EPHE - École Pratique des Hautes Études - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford

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Abstract: Abstract–. This article provides an overview of how ancient Greeks and their neigbours safeguarded their private wealth from the 7th to 1st century BC. It focuses on metal, one of the most durable of goods and the only one that is well documented by texts and archaeology. It examines literary sources, archaeological evidence, and iconography to explore the reasons for hoarding, and the methods and locations used for safekeeping. The study reveals that Greeks employed a variety of containers, from simple bags to elaborate chests, to protect their assets. Common hiding places included homes, buried caches, and sacred precincts.

Keywords: Ancient Greece; wealth hoarding; safekeeping; container; richesse; thésaurisation; protection des biens; contenant; Grèce antique (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-his
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-05458499v1
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Published in Ktèma : Civilisations de l'Orient, de la Grèce et de Rome antiques, 2025, Conserver les richesses dans l’Antiquité : quelques études de cas de Babylone à Rome, N° 50, pp.73-102

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