Nuclear analyses of the Pietroasa gold hoard

By means of nuclear analyses the concentrations of Au, Ag, Cu, Ir, Os, Pt, CO and Hg were measured in the 12 artifacts of the gold hoard discovered in 1837 at Pietroasa, Buzau county in Romania. The concentrations of the firs t four elements were used to compare different stylistic groups assumed by historians. Comparisons with gold nuggets from the old Dacian territory and gold Roman imperial coins were also made. A good agreement was found with the oldest hypothesis which considers that the hoard is represented by thre e styles appropriated mainly by the Goths.