Archeologists excavating inside the Kremlin walls have uncovered a treasure in silver coins and paper money from the 16th and 17th centuries, the Itar-Tass news agency reported Tuesday.


The recent digging has turned up artifacts dating to the 12th century, when the Kremlin was erected on the banks of the Moscow River. The findings include hundreds of objects, including ceramic fragments and medieval utensils, the report said.


The money was found near the former Senate building, an 18th-century structure presently being restored. The money was believed to be buried in 1612 when the Kremlin, then occupied by Polish invaders, was under siege.


The treasure consists of an undetermined number of silver coins and about 3,500 pieces of paper money, ITAR-Tass reported in a brief dispatch that gave few details.


The money was uncovered at the end of July, but the findings were not announced until Tuesday, ITAR-Tass said, adding that additional details would be released soon.


Though best-known as the seat of the Soviet and Russian governments, the Kremlin also contains one of Russia's premier museums, the Armoury, which includes thousands of priceless artifacts from the czarist era.