Antiquities and Ancient Art

Massive Gold and Silver Treasure Found in England Will Re-Write Anglo-Saxon History

England remains abuzz with news of the the Staffordshire Hoard (wikipedia article), an unparalleled treasure find dating from Anglo-Saxon times. Both the quality and quantity of this unique treasure are remarkable. The story of how it came to be left in the Staffordshire soil is likely to be more remarkable still.

The Hoard was first discovered in July 2009. The find is likely to spark decades of debate among archaeologists, historians and enthusiasts.It has been said that the find will re-write the known history of the Anglo-Saxon period.

The Staffordshire Hoard is the biggest, and perhaps even most important, find of ancient treasure ever in Britain. And it was discovered by a metal detector enthusiast using basic equipment walking across a farmer's field owned by a friend. In recent years, archaeological fanatics have lobbied to ban metal detecting in Britain which meant that this and other significant treasures would not have come to light and, in fact, may have been unwittingly destroyed and lost forever by unsuspecting farm equipment.  

Leslie Webster, Former Keeper, Department of Prehistory and Europe, British Museum, has already said "This is going to alter our perceptions of Anglo-Saxon England… as radically, if not more so, as the Sutton Hoo discoveries. Absolutely the equivalent of finding a new Lindisfarne Gospels or Book of Kells."

The Hoad comprises in excess of 1,500 individual items. Most are gold, with the balance silver. Many are decorated with precious stones. The quality of the craftsmanship displayed on many of the items is supreme, indicating possible royal ownership.

Stylistically most items appear to date from the seventh century, although there is already debate among experts about when the Hoard first entered the ground.

This was a period of great turmoil. England did not yet exist. A number of kingdoms with tribal loyalties vied with each other in a state of semi-perpetual warfare, with the balance of power constantly ebbing and flowing.

England was also split along religious lines. Christianity, introduced during the Roman occupation then driven to near extinction, was once again the principal religion across most of England

The exact spot where the Hoard lay hidden for a millennium and a half cannot yet be revealed. However it is reported that it is at the heart of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Mercia. There is approximately 5 kg of gold and 1.3 kg of silver (Sutton Hoo had 1.66kg of gold).

The hoard was reported to Duncan Slarke, Finds Liaison Officer with the Portable Antiquities Scheme. With the assistance of the finder, the find-spot has been excavated by archaeologists from Staffordshire County Council, lead by Ian Wykes and Steven Dean, and a team from Birmingham Archaeology, project managed by Bob Burrows and funded by English Heritage. The hoard has been examined at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery by Dr Kevin Leahy, National Finds Adviser with the Portable Antiquities Scheme.

The Coroner for South Staffordshire, Andrew Haigh, is today (24th September 2009) holding an inquest on the find to decide whether it is treasure under the Treasure Act 1996. If it is declared treasure, the find becomes the property of the Crown, and museums will have the opportunity to acquire it after it has been valued by the Treasure Valuation Committee. The Committee’s remit is to value all treasure finds at their full market value and the finder and landowner will divide the reward between them. Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent, and Staffordshire County Council wish to preserve the find for the West Midlands.

Click here to visit the official website has been dedicated to sharing information about the Staffordshire Hoard.

UK's Successful System Brings Thousands of New Finds to Light Each Year

With thousands of finds reported in the UK each year, the amateur discoveries are increasingly being viewed as an important source for the fuller understanding the past. Finds Liason Officers are building structured relationships with metal detectorists and field walkers; find locations are being carefully logged and recorded ensuring our archaeology doesn’t merely disappear into private collections.

Now the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS), the voluntary recording scheme for many of these archaeological objects and finds, has organised a series of ‘finds roadshows’ with the aim of enticing more members of the public into bringing their discoveries in for appraisal by the scheme's Finds Liaison Officers. 

Read the full article plus photos.

UK Metal Detectorist Exhibits Finds

Metal detectoring as a hobby has been subject to ever tightening regulation in the UK. Still, many remain passionate about it and the most successful have fascinating collections of artifacts and other finds. Near Manchester, UK, a detectorist who spent six years near the ancient Roman site at Warburton is putting his collection on display at a local museum. What a fantastic way to "share the knowledge." It's possible this may start a trend in the UK, possibly forging a new level of cooperation between detectorists and local archaeologists.