On the abundance of gold of the "Noric Taurisci"

Abstract

According to Polybius (Polyb. 34, 10, 10-14 resp. Strabo, Geogr. IV 6, 12 C 208) an exceptionally rieh gold mine was found between 150 and 130 BC in the tribal area of the »Noric Taurisci«. He describes 0,5cm big nuggets with a weight from 5 to 8g. Apparently it was a placer deposit in Sediments of sand and gravel. Within the area of Celtic Noricum resp. Carinthia only the secondary mine Klienmg/Hofbauersiedlung/Wiesenau in the Lavanttal is to be men- tioned. However it is a small deposit, the extension of the associated primary deposit is limited, and thus it can hardly be associated with the mentioned gold rush on the base of the output in historical times. Considering the deposits - and situated in an area sometimes called Tauriscious as well - the secondary deposits of Bessa, east of Ivrea in the tribal area of the Salassi, show all characteristics of the gold mine described by Polybius. Furthermore, they and the primary deposit of Brusson in the Valais Alps are big enough. Following the characteristics and the amount of gold mentioned by Polybius, the question arises, whether Strabo has not corrupted the text of Polybius in a grave manner and by mistake localised the remarkable gold find from the tribal area of the Salassi resp. »(western) Taurisci« in the tribal area of the eastern or »Noric Taurisci«.