Metal detector finds from Rõuge churchyard, southern Estonia

The 2025 archaeological investigations at Rõuge churchyard continued the examination of soil removed from its original findspot during earthworks in 2024 and sought to establish the depth of the burials. The investigations recovered 231 finds, mainly coins, brooches, finger-rings and dress accessories, dating from the 4th–5th to the 19th century. The finds indicate that the site was used as a cemetery with cremation burials dating to the 11th–12th or 13th century, and that Christian burials took place there as early as the mid- to late 13th century. The medieval finds are concentrated in the north-western part of the church, suggesting that the cemetery at the time, and probably the sanctuary too, was not in the same location as the present church; a chapel may have preceded the 16th-century parish church. The 13th-century silver jewellery points to people of higher social status among those buried there.