OPAVA, CZECH REPUBLIC—Radio Prague International reports that a farmer discovered a metal section of a belt in a beet field in the northeastern Czech Republic. Jiří Juchelka of the Silesian Museum said the 20-inch-long piece of metal, which is mostly gold but also contains some silver and traces of copper and iron, is decorated with raised concentric circles and is topped with rose-shaped clasps at the ends. The style suggests it dates to the late Bronze Age, Juchelka explained. “Belts at the time were made of leather and this was strapped to its front part,” he said. “It was crumpled when the finder found it, probably as a result of agricultural activity, so it is a miracle it has been so well preserved.” The belt will be studied and conserved before it goes on display at the Museum of Bruntál. To read about a Neolithic well that was unearthed in East Bohemia, go to "Around the World: Czech Republic."
