Man finds treasure estimated to be worth of £1 million

From News.Scotsman.com:

A metal-detecting enthusiast has unearthed a 2,000-year-old treasure hoard worth an estimated £1 million, it was revealed today.

Four gold neckbands dating to the Iron Age were discovered in a field near Stirling by the amateur hunter.

The man, who has not been identified, informed Scotland's Treasure Trove Unit which sent a team to excavate the site, the Daily Record newspaper reported.

The bands, or "torcs", made from twisted gold, are thought to date from the 1st and 3rd century BC.

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Iron Age treasure goes on show

From localhistoryonline:

You can now visit Harborough Museum in Leicestershire and see the Hallaton Treasure, described by a spokesman for the British Museum as a find ‘of national importance’.

This is the first time the Treasure has been publicly displayed. In 2000 metal detectorist Ken Wallace, and other volunteers from the Hallaton Fieldwork Group, came across some Roman pottery in a field outside their village. They were joined by the University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS), which then found what turned out to be one of the most important Iron Age sites in Britain.

There is a suggestion that it may have been the location of a shrine. They discovered over five thousand silver and gold coins, the remains of an ornately decorated Roman parade helmet and some mysterious silver finds.

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‘Rare and Significant’ find declared as treasure

Today, “TheComet” news for North Herts reported of a collection of Bronze, Iron Age and Roman artefacts that are considered both ‘rare’ and ‘significant’. Items dating back to the Iron Age include pieces of armour, but there are also a variety of other finds such as numerous coins, pottery and animal bone fragments.

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Norfolk Boudicca site ‘of national importance’

From EDP 24:

The Boudicca temple

One of the county's most important Iron Age and early Roman sites has been recognised as being of national importance.

The Boudicca Temple site in Fison Way on the outskirts of Thetford has been designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument by the Department for Culture Media and Sport, recognising it as a site of national importance and protecting it from the threat of future development.

Artefacts from the Iron and Roman age were first discovered at the site in 1973 when an aerial photograph recorded the cropmarks of an enclosure, just beside the A11 Thetford Bypass.

Six years later a hoard of gold jewellery and silver spoons dating back to the 4th century AD, was found during the construction of the Travenol Factory on Wyatt Way.

It is thought the treasure may have been associated with a late Roman temple and the god Faunus, a woodland deity.

Norfolk County councillor and cabinet member for culture, Derrick Murphy, said: “Recognition that this site is of national importance is long overdue, and it is really good news for Norfolk and Thetford that after a long and concerted campaign it will now be protected from future development or damage.”

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Iron Age coins declared treasure

From the BBC News:

It was the biggest collection of Iron-age coins found in Britain in 160 years

One of the UK's largest hauls of Iron Age gold coins has been declared treasure at an inquest in Suffolk.

The 840 handmade coins, called staters, were unearthed in a field near Wickham Market, Suffolk, in March last year.

After Michael Dark made the discovery with his metal detector, archaeologists found more coins, which are now at the British Museum in London.

Experts believe they were produced by predecessors of the Iceni queen Boudicca and date from 40BC to AD15.

It is the largest haul of coins to be discovered in 150 years and could be worth up to £500,000.

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Dig's treasure trove on show

From the Harborough Mail:

Published Date: 21 May 2009

THE story behind one of the most significant Iron Age and Roman finds in Europe is being told at Hallaton Museum.

The Rituals, Hoards and Helmets exhibition tells the exciting tale of The Hallaton Treasure being discovered by a group of walkers in a field near the village eight years ago.

It opens at the museum, in Hog Lane, on Sunday from 2.30pm to 5pm. There will be opportunities for children to try on a replica Roman helmet and cloak and have their photograph taken, as well as piece back together a broken pot and sort through shards of pottery.

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Conference about Iron Age Leicestershire and the Hallaton Treasure

As a former student of ULAS (University of Leicester Archaeological Services), I am always thrilled to hear about projects associated with them, particularly when they pertain to the Iron Age period of Britain.

Ongoing archaeological excavations undertaken by both ULAS and local community archaeologists have resulted in the unearthing of a large number of Iron Age and Roman artifacts from an internationally significant ritual site in Southeast Leicestershire. The finds generally date from the time immediately prior to the Roman invasion of Britain to the 1^st century AD. Declared as treasure under the Treasure Act of 1996, objects include an exceptional gilt Roman helmet (as pictured), jewellery, pottery and a considerable quantity of silver and gold coins. It is believed that the local Corieltavi tribe had deliberately buried the Treasure, although many questions remain about the nature of contact between Britain and Rome during that time.

The Southeast Leicestershire Treasure (SELT) Project was launched in order to make the objects accessible to the general public, as well as to preserve, understand and promote the Southeast Leicestershire Treasure. Exhibits will be made available at both the Hallaton Museum and the Harborough Museum, which are due to reopen on 24^th May 2009 and 19^th September 2009, respectively.

Please click here for the Leicestershire Treasure Project Newsletter, the “Harborough Helm” for further information relating to this remarkable discovery.

The Conference

A conference is being held next month to foster discussion about the implication of the Hallaton Treasure in the context of the area’s Iron Age period. Details are as follows:

27.6.09
Held 10am to 4pm at Rattray Theatre, University of Leicester. The event will be chaired by Prof. Haselgrove and speakers include Pete Liddle, Ian leins, Dr Jeremy Taylor, Vicki Score, John Thomas and Lynden Cooper.

In the first public conference of the Hallaton Treasure, the speakers will be re-evaluating the importance and development of the East Midlands in the decades preceding the Roman invasion in light of the incredible finds from the Hallaton site. The Hallaton Treasure is the collection of over 5000 silver and gold Iron Age coins, a silver-gilt Roman parade helmet and some mysterious silver finds excavated from a unique shrine site in southeast Leicestershire.

Fee includes refreshments and buffet lunch. Cost £10.

For more information and for a booking form please contact Frank Hargrave, Project Officer, Harborough Museum, Council Offices, Adam and Eve Street, Market Harborough LE16 7AG, tel 01858 821085/7, email fhargrave@leics.gov.uk, web www.leics.gov.uk/index/community/museums/harboroughmuseum.htm

For additional facts about the Iron Age period please visit the related web links provided on this blog site.

Bid to Return Druid Treasure to Anglesey

ANCIENT artefacts, more than 2,000 years old, should be brought back to Anglesey claims an island politician.

A large hoard of Iron Age materials were discovered in Llyn Cerrig Bach, Llanfair-yn-Neubwll, in 1942.

The items are currently kept in Cardiff, but local councillor Gwilym O Jones believes the treasure troves should brought back and displayed at Llangefni's Oriel Môn.

And the council agrees, explaining they are currently in talks on that very subject.

Cllr Jones said: "Many on Anglesey know the tale of how they were found during the extension of RAF Valley.

"I understand why the treasures were taken down to the National Museum in Cardiff.

"At the time there was nowhere secure enough on Anglesey to keep them.

"But that has changed in recent years.

"Oriel Môn was built under Government Indemnity Scheme conditions which means that it's purpose built to keep precious artefacts secure.

"We've seen programmes on television and recordings made of the island's druidic history in the last couple of years, so I feel that now is the time to campaign to bring the treasures back.

"I'm not talking about bringing them back permanently, but I feel they should here for part of the year, say through the summer months.

"I think many people would be interested in seeing them."

"It would be of benefit to Oriel Môn to have them, as a lot of people aren't fans of art but might like to see part of the island's heritage."

Chariots, weapons, tools and decorated metalwork items were cast from a causeway or island into Llyn Cerrig Bach between 300BC and AD100.

They were discovered in 1942 by William Roberts as the airfield was being extended to accommodate the US air force bomber, The Flying Fortress.

The site was investigated by Sir Cyril Fox, the then keeper of archaeology at the National Museum of Wales in 1946.

Llyn Cerrig Bach is of especial interest in its possible association with the druids.

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Antiques, Antiquities or Artifacts: Does it really matter?

There are a number of terms used to describe objects from the past – Some of them are used very loosely or perhaps even erroneously, as a result of pure ignorance or to deliberately mislead others. It is imperative, therefore, to glean a general understanding of what some of the terms denote. Although it is somewhat difficult to isolate specific definitions due to dissimilarities between various countries and organizations, I have nevertheless attempted to provide some pertinent guidance below as a starting point:

An antique is an old collectible item. Although the exact definition can vary from source to source, generally an antique is an object that is at least 50 to 100 years old. In the United States, customs law reserves the term for objects that are 100 years old or more. The price of an antique is determined according to its craftsmanship, authenticity, aesthetic appeal, age, rarity and condition. Antiques can include a variety of items ranging from furniture to decorative arts. Comparable items that are not particularly old are often referred to as vintage.

The term antiquities (generally used in the plural) often refers to the remains of art work and everyday items from the distant or ancient past, although the cut-off date is not always precise and may differ considerably between various institutions. Some organizations may suggest an arbitrary date for ease of reference, but an important differentiation is that most antiquities are ancient and are discovered as a result of archaeology. Antiquities can come from various parts of the globe, including the Classical cultures of Greece and Rome, ancient Egypt, the ancient Near Eastern civilizations, the Orient and, of course, the Iron Age Celtic World (The Iron Age Celts spanned a period from the fifth century B.C. to the first century A.D.). Antiquities may include items such as buildings and works of art and even smaller objects, often referred to as portable antiquities. Portable finds, such as coins or jewellery, are frequently discovered by metal-detector users, people gardening or those merely out walking. Due to various legal restrictions in many countries about what can and can’t be collected, it is important to report finds accordingly, so that provenance and heritage will not be lost forever. For example, in England and Wales finds of “Treasure” must be reported to a coroner for the district within 14 days (Refer to The Portable Antiquities Scheme at: http://www.finds.org.uk/treasure/treasure_summary.php for further information).

Due to the imprecision of dates assigned to the term antiquities, most academic institutions no longer use it, but instead refer to those objects that have been made, used or modified by humans as artifacts (or artefacts -UK). For the purpose of this blog, however, I have chosen the term antiquities in order to meld with both collectors and dealers who generally utilize this term, as well as the academic world who understands what it means.

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