Archaeologists Find Ancient Coins At Kota Mas Fort

PHOTO VIA ANTARA

GORONTALO - Researchers from the Archeology Center of North Sulawesi found three pieces of ancient currency during excavations at Kota Mas Fort, located in Cisadane Village, Kwandang District, North Gorontalo Regency.

The head of the research team at the North Sulawesi Archeology Center, Irna Saptaningrum, said on Wednesday that the two coins found were issued during the Dutch East Indies administration, as well as one issued by the Dutch East India Company or Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC).

"This finding is very important to know the existence of Kota Mas Fort in the past," he said, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, July 7.

According to him, the coins issued by the VOC showed that the fort had been occupied since the arrival of the westerners in Kwandang.

The discovery of ancient coins by the research team has also been submitted to the Government of North Gorontalo Regency.

Kota Mas Fort is an old fort built on the north coast of Gorontalo.

In addition to ancient coins, archaeologists also managed to excavate two old wells not far from the remaining bastion building.

A number of pieces of ceramics and pottery in various shapes and colors, are also important findings in the study.

In addition to functioning as a military defense tool, the fort was also a residential area inhabited by the rulers and local people.

Irna Saptaningrum and the research team from the Archeology Center of North Sulawesi have conducted three kinds of research at the Kota Mas Fort.