In northwest Spain, two gold necklaces that date back to almost 2,500 years ago were stumbled upon by a worker for the local water company.

On August 29, Sergio Marciandi was at work near Cavandi, Asturias, when he discovered a gold necklace hidden among some rocks.

He informed University of Cantabria prehistoric archeology professor Pablo Arias, who told CNN about the discovery.

When Arias and specialists from the Asturias Archaeological Museum arrived at the location and conducted a preliminary inspection, they discovered a second necklace that had been split up into multiple parts, according to Arias.

"It's really impressive," Arias exclaimed, adding that the discovery might improve our knowledge of the Iron Age, the time frame in which they were created.

Although there have been other discoveries of gold necklaces from the Iron Age, most of them were made in the 18th and 19th centuries, a time when archeological techniques were more limited and much of the knowledge about their source was lost, according to Arias.

He continued: in this instance, the site is still in situ, which helps archaeologists understand its context much better.

“We have very precise information about where they were found,” said Arias. “It’s quite exceptional.”

According to him, the discovery opens up a wide range of prospective research areas and may shed new light on a time period that is now little understood.

Right now, the necklaces exhibit wear in places where they would have come into contact with the wearer's skin and clothing.

“We know that they were used,” mentioned Arias.

He continued, saying that this type of necklace belonged to the top classes of society and that not everyone could buy one.

Although it is impossible to date the items, Arias thinks they are unlikely to be older than 2,500 years.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Asturian regional government praised Marciandi for immediately informing authorities of the discovery and hailed it as “an extraordinary development considering their quality and the skill of the artisans that made them, and most of all for opening a window to the study and knowledge of the most emblematic type of jewelry of Iron Age gold work, which until now had been closed.”