Terry Herbert, 56, unearthed the Staffordshire Hoard in July 2009, using a metal detector bought at a car boot sale for £2.50. He found it on farmer Fred Johnson’s land at Brownhills in the West Midlands. The £3.28million find transformed the men’s lives after they shared the reward equally.
Why is the Staffordshire Hoard so important?
The Staffordshire Hoard is the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver ever discovered. The hoard is more than just a treasure. It is a window on life in England in the 6th and 7th centuries AD and the world of its warrior elite.
Where is the Staffordshire Hoard now?
The Staffordshire Hoard is owned by Birmingham City Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council, and cared for by Birmingham Museums Trust and the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent. The Staffordshire Hoard is on display at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery.
Who owns the Staffordshire Hoard?
It is now jointly owned by Birmingham City Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council. The entire collection is now displayed across four sites in the Midlands – at the Potteries Museum, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Lichfield Cathedral and Tamworth Castle.
How much money did the finder of the Staffordshire Hoard get?
Two men who discovered a hoard of Anglo-Saxon treasure in the Midlands remain at war over it – a decade on. The pair uncovered the haul – worth a staggering £3.3million. It was subsequently dubbed the Staffordshire Hoard .
Will we ever understand the story behind the Staffordshire hoard?
Although we do not completely understand why the hoard was assembled and buried, the date and origin of the objects it contains reflects closely what we know about these kingdoms from the historical accounts of this period.
Was the Staffordshire hoard a grave?
The excavators found no other Anglo-Saxon features where the hoard had been buried. There were no buildings, no burials, and no signs of a battle. … A few more objects from the hoard were found in 2012, when the field was ploughed again for the first time since the original find.
Where did the Herbert’s treasure discovered?
The first pieces of the hoard were discovered in 2009 by local metal-detectorist Terry Herbert on farmland close to his home in Hammerwich parish, near Lichfield in Staffordshire.
What does the Staffordshire Hoard reveal about Anglo-Saxon culture?
Research on the Staffordshire hoard, the largest hoard of precious metal from the period ever found, has revealed that their craftsmen had a cunning plan, a secret technique which gave lower grade metal with a high silver content the appearance of pure gleaming gold.
What was unusual about the Staffordshire Hoard?
The Staffordshire Hoard is unique in that it is almost entirely made up of war gear, especially sword fittings. Over 1,000 pieces are from a single, ornate helmet. It is the grandest example to have been found from the period and would have been fit for a king. … You can see one on display next the Hoard at the museum.
How big is the Staffordshire Hoard?
Staffordshire Hoard | |
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Material | Gold Silver Stone Garnet |
Size | over 3,500 items |
Writing | Latin |
Created | c. 7th to 8th centuries |
Who are two prominent experts who have studied the Staffordshire Hoard?
Therefore, during continued excavation of the test-pit a strategy was developed by Birmingham Archaeology and Staffordshire County Council in consultation with English Heritage, the FLO , Terry Herbert and the landowner, to facilitate full recovery of the hoard.
How did Staffordshire get its name?
English: habitational name from any of the various places in England so called, which do not all share the same etymology. The county seat of Staffordshire (which is probably the main source of the surname) is named from Old English stæð ‘landing place’ + ford ‘ford’.
What Anglo-Saxon artifacts have been found?
“It is rare to find both an Anglo-Saxon settlement and a cemetery in a single excavation.” The team unearthed approximately 150 brooches, 15 rings, 2,000 beads, 25 spears, 40 knives and 15 shields, as well as personal objects such as cosmetic kits and bone combs.
Did Vikings bury treasure?
Why did the Vikings bury treasure? The Vikings believed that things they placed in the ground or in water would be found by the gods. So perhaps treasures were offerings to the gods.
Are Terry Herbert and Fred Johnson friends?
He even said his find of 3,900 artefacts – Britain’s largest ever haul of Anglo-Saxon treasure – was a curse and blamed it on ruining his friendship with Mr Johnson. … ‘Terry was never a friend, so I haven’t lost any friends.
What metal detector found the Staffordshire?
The items from 650AD – known as the Staffordshire hoard – were found by metal detectorist Terry Herbert with a device bought in a car boot sale. He used the detector to explore a field near Lichfield of farmer Fred Johnson and the find was sold off to museums for £3.285million with the funds were split between them.
Where is Sutton’s treasure?
The King’s Mound treasure is displayed in Room 41: Sutton Hoo and Europe, AD 300-1100 at The British Museum, London, where it can be seen in the context of the seismic changes taking place across Europe in the Early Medieval period. Please check with the British Museum to find out when they’re open for a visit.
Why are there no coins in the Staffordshire hoard?
The simple answer is that it is the ‘wrong’ type of hoard.
What can you see at Sutton Hoo?
- Exhibition at Sutton Hoo. Step into the High Hall exhibition to discover more about the world of the Anglo-Saxons and the incredible objects unearthed at Sutton Hoo. …
- Tranmer House at Sutton Hoo. …
- The Royal Burial Ground at Sutton Hoo.
What is a sword pyramid?
‘Sword pyramids’ are sixth- and seventh-century decorative fittings associated with Anglo-Saxon sword scabbards and were used to help keep the weapon sheathed. They remain very rare finds, especially when made of gold and this one is especially unusual due to its understated simplicity.
Where did Saxon gold come from?
Object | Date | Au wt% |
---|---|---|
Sutton Hoo buckle | 600–625 | 83–88 |
Crundale pommel | 630–670 | 66.9 |
Crundale buckle | 630–670 | 59.6 |
Taplow clasps | 575–600 | 78.8 |
How much is the Sutton Hoo hoard worth?
LONDON (Reuters) – The largest haul of Anglo-Saxon gold ever discovered, unearthed by a metal-detector enthusiast in a farmer’s field, has been valued at 3.28 million pounds by a committee of experts.
How old do they estimate the items to be from the treasure hoard?
While still unofficial, it seems likely that the hoard will fit the bill; the Treasure Act defines “treasure” as a collection of metallic objects or coins that are at least 300 years old and a minimum of 10% gold or silver by weight, according to Portable Antiquities Scheme, a joint program of the British Museum and …
Where is the Saxon hoard on show?
The Staffordshire Hoard is on display at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery.
Why did people bury hoards?
people buried objects of all kinds as religious offerings to gods, ancestors or spirits. In most cases of groups of coins or objects made of precious metal, the hoard was probably buried for safe-keeping, but the owners either never came back to retrieve their possessions, or forgot where they had buried them.
Where was the Hoxne hoard found?
Hoxne Hoard | |
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Discovered | Hoxne, Suffolk, 16 November 1992 |
Present location | Room 49, British Museum, London |
What is a Viking hoard?
In the Viking Age there were lively contacts between Denmark and the surrounding world. The hoards consist mainly of silver goods. … This metal was the real currency of the Viking Age. Goods were paid for in silver by weight.
What means Anglo-Saxon?
Anglo-Saxon, term used historically to describe any member of the Germanic peoples who, from the 5th century ce to the time of the Norman Conquest (1066), inhabited and ruled territories that are today part of England and Wales.
How was the Staffordshire Hoard made?
Pastes and cements, composed of animal glue, beeswax, plant gums and calcium carbonate, were used to hold the complex objects together. One sword pommel retains a tiny fragment of the iron tang, other objects have parts of the copper alloy and wooden or bone liners used to give the soft gold or silver their shape.
When was the Sutton Hoo hoard found?
When it was unearthed in 1939, any bodily remains were claimed by the acidic local soil to leave only a human-shaped gap among the treasures within.
Which are features of Anglo-Saxon culture?
Some of the most Anglo-Saxon values, as illustrated by Beowulf, include bravery, truth, honor, loyalty and duty, hospitality and perseverance.
How did the experts likely figure out that the treasure originally belonged to the Anglo Saxons answer?
The experts probably figured out that the treasure originally belonged to the Anglo-Saxons by looking at the different artifacts and comparing them to other artifacts known to belong to Anglo-Saxons.
How safe is Stafford?
Stafford is the third most dangerous major town in Staffordshire, and is the 35th most dangerous overall out of Staffordshire’s 201 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Stafford in 2020 was 29 crimes per 1,000 people.
Is Stafford part of the Black Country?
Stafford can get marginal signals from the West Midlands regionals, like Heart and Smooth Radio, and is at the very north of Free Radio’s Black Country and Shropshire coverage area.
Is Staffordshire pottery valuable?
Values vary widely ranging from $500 to several thousands of dollars for each piece depending on many different factors. Staffordshire pieces were exhibited at World’s Fairs and public exhibitions like the Panama Pacific Expo of 1915.