More pieces from the Staffordshire Hoard discovered

The Staffordshire Hoard has now grown by a further 81 pieces, after a Coroner’s Court declared yesterday that the newly found objects were part of the Anglo-Saxon treasure.

 South Staffordshire Coroner Andrew Haigh ruled that 81 of the 91 pieces found in the field Hammerwich, near Lichfield were treasure. He discounted eight pieces as “modern” and declared that two further pieces, which were found 40 to 50 metres away from the other pieces were not part of the Hoard. Mr Haigh commented that “The Staffordshire Hoard was a magnificent find. I very much hope that these further items will be saved for the nation and added to the Hoard.”

 In November a team of archaeologists and experienced metal detectorists from Archaeology Warwickshire returned to the field when it was ploughed and recovered further material. Many of these items weigh less than a gram. The collection does however, include a possible helmet cheek piece, a cross- shaped mount and an eagle-shaped mount. These are currently being examined and x-rayed at a specialist archives laboratory. The British Museum’s valuation committee to assess their worth of the new discovery by March.

 Click here to read the full article from Medievalists.net

Staffordshire Hoard is coming to America

More than one hundred artefacts from the Staffordshire Hoard – the largest and most valuable collection of Anglo-Saxon treasure ever discovered – will be displayed in Washington D.C. later this year.

The exhibition, called ‘Anglo-Saxon Hoard: Gold from England’s Dark Ages’ will be open at the National Geographic Museum from October 29, 2011 to March 4, 2012.

The Staffordshire Hoard comprises more than 3,300 mainly gold and silver artefacts from the seventh and eighth centuries. The haul is made up of intricately designed articles of war, including helmet cheek pieces, sword pommels and religious crosses. Experts believe that some of the items were deliberately folded before being buried and that the treasure could be the booty from a battlefield from the ancient kingdom of Mercia.

Click here to read this article from Medievalists.net

Staffordshire Hoard comes to Lichfield Cathedral

From Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery - This video shows the conservation team's involvement with the setting up of the Staffordshire Hoard exhibition at Lichfield Cathedral. This includes checking on the condition of the objects to ensure that they have not been damaged in transit. The exhibition is on from July 30th to August 21st in Lichfield and all tickets were snapped up prior to the exhibition opening. The final leg of the Mercian Trail tour will see the Hoard go to Tamworth Castle from August 27th to September 18th.

Videos released on the Staffordshire Hoard conservation program

The Conservation Team at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery have started video blogging about their conservation work on the Staffordshire Hoard. Three videos have so far been released on the museum’s Youtube page.

The first one introduces the three person team carrying out the conservation work: Deborah Cane, the project manager, Cymbeline Storey and Deborah Magnoler.

Click here to read this article from Medievalists.net

Staffordshire Hoard nominated Best Archaeological Discovery in Great Britain

The Staffordshire Hoard is among three nominees for Best Archaeological Discovery in the British Archaeological Awards. The nominees in six categories were announced last week with the awards ceremony taking place next month at the British Museum.

The Staffordshire Hoard discovery was made in July 2009 by Terry Herbert, a metal detector enthusiast, near Lichfield, Staffordshire. The items he discovered – over 1,500 pieces of beautifully crafted gold and silver from the 7th century Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia - amount to the most valuable treasure hoard ever discovered in the UK, worth £3.3 million.

The other two nominees in this category are a Neolithic carving of a face, found in the Orkney Islands, and Late Bronze Age Copper and Tin Ingots from Moor Sand, off the south coast of Devon.

The Chairman of the British Archaeological Awards trustees, Dr Mike Heyworth MBE, said “The wide-ranging nominations for the 2010 British Archaeological Awards demonstrate the high standard of work going on in archaeology across the United Kingdom. There is huge public interest in archaeology and increasing opportunities for everyone to get involved in archaeological projects in their area. We congratulate all the nominated projects and look forward to a lively ceremony in July when the winners of the Awards will be announced.”

The archaeological dig at another medieval site - Wisbech Castle in Cambridgeshire, has been nominated for Best Community Archaeology Project, while the new Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) website has been shortlisted in the 'archaeological innovation' category. The PAS website includes the scheme's database of almost 600,000 archaeological objects found and registered by members of the public across England and Wales.

“Making the shortlist in this year’s awards is a fitting tribute for the work that our regional FLOs and the public of England and Wales have put in to making the Scheme’s database such an essential resource for studying the archaeology of this country," explained Roger Bland, Head of Portable Antiquities and Treasure at the British Museum.

"Hopefully, this news and the story of the Staffordshire Hoard, will make people more aware about the potential uses of these data and raise public awareness of their local archaeology.”

Established in 1976, the British Archaeological Awards are a showcase for the best in British archaeology and a central event in the archaeological calendar. The awards are handed out every two years.

The winners of the six Awards will be announced at the 2010 Awards ceremony which will take place on 19 July at the British Museum, hosted by historian and broadcaster Michael Wood. The ceremony will be a major event within the Council for British Archaeology's Festival of British Archaeology, a huge UK-wide celebration of archaeology with more than 650 events attended by more than 250,000 people, which will attract huge national TV, radio, newspaper and magazine coverage.

Here is the full list of nominees:

Best Archaeological Project:
1) Archaeology of Inchmarnock Research Project
2) Mellor Heritage Project 2007-9
3) The Tarbat Discovery Programme

Best Community Archaeology Project:
1) 'Discover the Lost Bishop's Palace' - Wisbech Castle Community Archaeology Project
2) Fin Cop - Solving a Derbyshire Mystery
3) Mellor Heritage Project 2007-9

Best Archaeological Book:
1) Britain's Oldest Art: The Ice Age Cave Art of Creswell Crags by Paul Bahn and Paul Pettitt
2) Europe's Lost World: the re-discovery of Doggerland by Vince Gaffney, Simon Fitch and David Smith
3) The Rose and The Globe, playhouses of Shakespeare's Bankside, Southwark: Excavations 1988-1991 by Julian Bowsher and Pat Miller

Best Representation of Archaeology in the Media:
1) Tinderbox Productions for BBC Radio 4: In Pursuit of Treasure and The Voices Who Dug Up The Past
2) Time Team Series 16, Episode 5: Blood, Sweat and Beers - Risehill, North Yorks
3) The Thames Discovery Programme web site

Best Archaeological Innovation:
1) Integrated Archaeological Database
2) Lindow Man: a Bog Body Mystery Exhibition at the Manchester Museum
3) The Portable Antiquities Scheme web site

Best Archaeological Discovery:
1) Late Bronze Age Copper and Tin Ingots from Moor Sand
2) Links of Noltland excavations - discovery of Orkney Venus figurine
3) The Staffordshire Hoard

Click here to see our special Feature on the Staffordshire Hoard

Sources: British Archaeology Awards, British Museum

Money raised to keep Staffordshire Hoard in England

The campaign to keep the Staffordshire Hoard in England has successfully raised the £3.3 million needed to purchase the Anglo-Saxon treasure. The Art Fund announced today that the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) has pledged £1,285,000 to complete the effort.

The purchase means that the hundreds of items from the archaeological discovery will be kept at the Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent. The Art Fund launched the campaign in mid-January and had already raised £2 million. They have now reached their goal three weeks ahead of schedule.

Stephen Deuchar, Director of The Art Fund, said: "We have been absolutely bowled over by the enthusiasm and fascination the Staffordshire Hoard has sparked amongst the British public, as well as visitors from abroad. It is wonderful news that the NHMF has enabled the target of £3.3m to be reached ahead of the deadline, and I hope that this will give the West Midlands a head-start with the next stage in fundraising for the conservation, research and display of the treasure."

National Heritage Memorial Fund is a government body set up in 1980 to provide financial assistance to preserve British historical treasures. They have funded many medieval projects, including the preservation of the Macclesfield Psalter and the Mappa Mundi.

Dame Jenny Abramsky, Chair of NHMF, said: "We’re delighted to be able to announce this news today. The Staffordshire Hoard is an extraordinary heritage treasure. It is exactly the sort of thing the National Heritage Memorial Fund was set up to save, stepping in as the ‘fund of last resort’ when our national heritage is at risk, as a fitting memorial to those who have given their lives in the service of our nation. We’re delighted, in our 30th anniversary year, to be able to make sure it stays just where it belongs, providing rare insights into one of the more mysterious periods of our history."

British Culture Minister Margaret Hodge added: “This is fantastic news. The great thing about the National Heritage Memorial Fund – and the reason we fought so hard to maintain its funding for next year in a tight economic climate – is that it can move quickly to help save items at very short notice. The Staffordshire Hoard is a great example of this. Thanks to this grant, these superb items will be able to stay – and be enjoyed – where they belong: in the Midlands where they were discovered.”

Historian David Starkey, who helped launched the Art Fund drive, said “This news from the National Heritage Memorial Fund is wonderful. The Staffordshire Hoard provides us with vital clues to our ancient past and now we can set about decoding them. I’m delighted that all the other funding bodies and the generous public have helped save these breathtaking treasures for posterity.”

With this funding goal reached, the Art Fund now commences a longer term fundraising strategy will now be underway to raise a further £1.7 million for vital conservation and research work to take place.

The Hoard will undergo a period of research and conservation before going on permanent display in Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent. Both Museums are working closely with two major institutions to explore the potential of lending items for display at other venues.

The Staffordshire Hoard, containing over 1,500 objects predominantly of a martial nature, is believed to date from around the 7th century AD. In total, the Hoard is made up 5kg of gold and 1.3kg of silver - topping the record set by the Sutton Hoo find in Suffolk. Experts believe that, due to the high quality of craftsmanship displayed on the items, they may have been made for royal ownership. These riches provide new insight into the Anglo-Saxon people and a better understanding of the role the Mercia region.

Click here to go to our special Feature of the Staffordshire Hoard.

Sources: The Art Fund, National Heritage Memorial Fund

Staffordshire Hoard gets crowds, award

Over forty thousand people have visited the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent, England, to see a fraction of the famous Staffordshire Hoard. It is another sign that discovery of Anglo-Saxon treasure is still drawing in massive interest.

A total of 1,852 people passed through the doors on Wednesday, taking the total number of people who have queued to see the Hoard to 41,447 over 19 days.  Over 3700 people visited the collection on its opening day in mid-February.

The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery is exhibiting 118 items from the hoard, including 40 artefacts that have never before been seen, such as a filigree gold horse's head, gold snakes, what is believed to be gold helmet eyebrow adornments, and detailed helmet fragments showing warriors and animals.

They are on display at the museum until Sunday. Last night the museum extended its opening hours until 8pm to enable more people to see the Hoard. By lunchtime, those in the queue endured waits of more than three hours.

Among those browsing the gold pieces was Judith Lambert, who was amazed at the quality of the items. The Alton resident said: "The quality of the workmanship is extraordinary. We are seeing something that is not just English craftsmanship, because some of the gems have come from across the world. "I queued for three hours to see the Hoard and it was worth every minute."

Councillor Hazel Lyth, Stoke-on-Trent City Council cabinet member for culture, added: "To reach 40,000 visitors is a remarkable achievement and is a demonstration of how passionate people feel about the Hoard.

"It shows a sense of pride from people who want to keep it here and feel a connection to it."

Meanwhile, the Staffordshire Hoard team has been awarded ‘The Best Rescue Dig of the Year, 2010’ by Current Archaeology.

Current Archaeology is Britain’s best selling archaeology magazine. The award, sponsored by Andante Travel, was given on the basis of votes cast by its readers, and was presented at the Archaeology 2010 Conference, held at the British Museum on 27 February.

The award was accepted by Dr Kevin Leahy, National Advisor, Early Medieval Metalwork, on behalf of the project.

On accepting the accolade, which was presented at the ceremony by Professor Brian Fagan of the University of California, Santa Barbara, Dr Leahy said: “This was very much a joint award, to be shared by the many people and organisations who had worked hard on the project.”

Dr Leahy also commented on how smoothly the project has gone so far, and paid tribute to the many people and organisations involved.

He added, ”Finally, thanks must go to the 40,000 people who queued for up to five hours to see part of the hoard during the short time it was on show in Birmingham and the tens of thousands who are queuing to see it now at the Potteries Museum. They are telling us that they care.”

The Staffordshire Hoard was first discovered by metal detectorist Terry Herbert in a field near Lichfield, Staffordshire in July 2009. Containing over 1,500 pieces, mainly gold and many inlaid with precious stones, the Hoard was valued at £3.3.m on 26 November 2009 and declared the most valuable treasure found on British soil.

Click here to go to our feature on The Staffordshire Hoard.

Campaign to Save the Staffordshire Hoard begins

Historian David Starkey made a passionate plea for funds to keep the Staffordshire Hoard for the area where it was found. He was among several prominent public figures supporting the campaign, launched by The Art Fund charity, to raise the £3.3 million needed by 17 April to save this awe-inspiring find of Anglo-Saxon treasure for Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent.

"Archaeological finds don't come any bigger than this," said Dr Starkey. "The Staffordshire Hoard is the largest and most valuable collection of Anglo-Saxon gold ever. But break it up or move it and its meaning is lost. It must stay here, together and intact, to be studied and displayed here in the West Midlands, the foundation of whose history it will now become."

The Art Fund’s new Director, Dr Stephen Deuchar, kick-started the public appeal by announcing an initial Art Fund grant of £300,000 and by unveiling the official donation website www.artfund.org/hoard. Birmingham City Council which runs Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery, announced that it is giving an initial £100,000 towards the campaign, and Stoke-on-Trent City Council which runs the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery will also give £100,000 bringing the sum already raised already to £500,000.



Dr Deuchar said: “This is the most significant and beautiful treasure find from any era that has ever been unearthed in England. We are thrilled to be leading the public campaign and making an initial grant of £300,000 towards the £3.3 million total. For years to come the treasure will be a source of awe and inspiration for all to experience – and we – along with the rest of the nation – are very much looking forward to discovering its story.”

Tony Robinson, who presents the popular archaeology programme ‘Time Team’, was also on hand for the launch. He added: "To unearth such a collection of gold and silver is like something out of Indiana Jones. The hoard throws up so many questions - who owned it? Who buried it? Why? Once it's been properly examined there's little doubt it will reveal countless stories about our ancestors' lives in the so-called Dark Ages - but before we can begin to unravel its secrets we have to save it!"

Margaret Hodge, the British Minister for Culture and Tourism said, "Although there is a long way to go towards raising the target of £3.3m, I know how much the Hoard has captured the imaginations of local people, and so I am confident we’ll make it. The Hoard is incredibly significant to the understanding of our Saxon heritage and it is only right that it should be kept and displayed here in the West Midlands for future generations to enjoy.”

Once the hoard is bought, an extra £1.7m will be needed to ensure it can be properly conserved, studied and displayed.

Over the next 13 weeks events and activities will be taking place throughout the West Midlands to raise funds to keep the Staffordshire Hoard in the region. More than 80 of the most significant artefacts from the Hoard, including items never seen before, will be on display at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent between 13 February and 7 March.

Click here to go to our Special Section on the Staffordshire Hoard

Historian criticizes media over Staffordshire Hoard coverage

A historian has called the newspaper and television coverage of the Staffordshire Hoard discovery "crass and trivial."

In a column for History Today, Justin Pollard, author of Alfred the Great: The Man who Made England and Secret Britain: The Hidden Bits of Our History, decries the media coverage on the find, which was discovered earlier this year near Staffordshire.



Details of the discovery, which date back to the Anglo-Saxon times, were released in September. It has been recently valued at £3.3 million.

Pollard writes, "The newspaper headlines (and even the BBC) chose to cast the find not in terms of the exceptional quality of the metalwork, the unusual selection of items in the hoard or the historical background against which the finds were made. Instead the extraordinary collection was referred to as little more than a lump of gold bullion."

He adds that by emphasizing the monetary value of the gold in the Staffordshire Hoard, the media are encouraging "nighthawks - gangs that ruthlessly raid archaeological sites and protected monuments with metal detectors hoping to find treasure."

Pollard also offers some views about the nature of the Anglo-Saxon hoard itself, writing "it is almost exclusively a collection of 'male' metalwork - military pieces - ... these might be the war trophies of a successful warrior, stripped from the weapons of vanquished foes; they might be the gleanings from one bloody battlefield or perhaps a lifetime's acquisitions."

He ends by stating that the Stafforshire Hoard's importance is in its history, and that "we should be celebrating as the story it may one day tel us will be so much rarer than gold."

Click here for more information about the Staffordshire Hoard.

Staffordshire Hoard is worth £3.285 million

A committee of independent advisors have valued the Staffordshire Hoard at £3.285 million. This figure will be split equally between the finder, Terry Herbert, and the landowner, Fred Johnson.

The landowner, the finder and the two museums which hope to acquire the hoard, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, have all approved the valuation.



The Staffordshire Hoard was discovered earlier this summer and received international media attention. It is considered to be one of the most important discoveries of Anglo-Saxon artefacts in England's history.

Professor Norman Palmer, chariman of the Treasure Valuation Committee, said "The task of valuing this hoard required the Treasure Valuation Committee to analyse a very large amount of information in order to arrive at a fair market price, and I am personally indebted to my fellow members whose energy and expertise made this result possible in so short a time.

"We are satisfied that we have arrived at a value which is both fair, and reflects the extraordinary interest and importance of this hoard."

He added, "It was breathtaking – we all agreed that it was not only a challenge but a privilege to be dealing with material of such quantity, quality and beauty. It was hard to stop our imaginations running away with us."

A fundraising campaign will now begin for the joint acquisition of the hoard by Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum, Stoke-on-Trent. All relevant parties are fully in support of this joint acquisition and for the hoard to be displayed in the West Midlands.

Palmer said, "It is of course immensely important that this extraordinary hoard is acquired for public benefit and I know that the two museums are anxious to raise the funding to keep the hoard in the West Midlands as soon as they can.”

It also emerged that the Staffordshire hoard is even bigger than archeologists had initially indicated, with 1,800 individual items being unearthed at the 40 x 30 foot site — 300 more than previously stated.

They include 84 sword caps, 71 hilt collars, helmets and parts of at least four crucifixes, with a folded gold cross singled out as one of the most valuable items in the hoard. Together, the artefacts contain more than 5kg (11lb) of gold — three times the amount found in 1939 at the Sutton Hoo burial site in Suffolk — and 2.5kg of silver.


"It is quite possible that other finds from the same period might be in the vicinity," said Roger Bland, head of portable antiquities and treasure at the British Museum, who has co-written a new book about the Staffordshire hoard. The book will be available next month.

Nicholas Brooks, emeritus professor of medieval history at the University of Birmingham, believes the hoard could represent a "royal treasury". He points out that Anglo-Saxon nobles paid a "heriot", or tax, in the form of weapons or bullion to their king when they died. In return, the king would honour the vassal's wishes about the disposal of his property.

Mercian kings from this period, such as Wulfhere and Aethelred, are likely to have had a supply of weapons which they could give to young warriors joining their service. "This hoard could represent such a stock of weapons," said Brooks.

"There's no comparable find of such gold or silver objects in either England or in Europe," said Bland. "All previous notable discoveries have been grave burials like Sutton Hoo."

Tamsworth and Lichfield make their claims for the Staffordshire Hoard

Representatives of the towns of Tamworth and Lichfield have come out to say that Staffordshire Hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold should be permanently displayed in their areas.

The Staffordshire Hoard, which consists of around 1500 items dating back to the 7th century. The announcement of its discovery has generated news around the world.

"Tamworth is the ideal place to host a permanent exhibition of the Staffordshire hoard, and I am very excited by the possibilities," said Leader of Tamworth Borough Council, Cllr Bruce Boughton.

"It is quite likely that the treasure came from Tamworth, perhaps being taken to safety during either of the two occasions when the Danes burned the town to the ground.

"As the capital of Mercia, Tamworth was the most important centre in the Midlands and I hope the excitement over the treasure rekindles interest in Tamworth's fantastic Saxon history."

Local historian and chairman of Tamworth Heritage Trust, John Harper, said: "Of course this amazing treasure is linked to Tamworth!

"I'm absolutely thrilled that the borough council is considering claiming it for the people of the town.

"Tamworth was of massive importance to Saxon England and it's only right and proper that a find of this importance comes to such an historically important place."

Meanwhile, Michael Fabricant, Member of Parliament for the town of Lichfield, believes that the hoard should be displayed at the Lichfield Cathedral.

"It would be excellent for some, if not all, of the gold - particularly those items with religious significance - to be shown alongside other religious articles in the cathedral," he said.

"We are all agreed that they should find a local home and I do not believe that either Birmingham or Stoke are 'local', as far as Lichfield and Burntwood people are concerned.

"If some of those items are to be permanently displayed in Lichfield Cathedral then it may be necessary to introduce, in due course, an entrance fee.

"That fee would help offset the huge costs recently incurred by the cathedral following the Heritage Lottery Fund's rejection of the Lichfield Inspires project."

Canon Pete Wilcox, from Lichfield Cathedral, said church leaders are 'thrilled' at the discovery. "Any permanent display of The Staffordshire Hoard must surely be as local as possible," he said.

"Even if the cathedral is unlikely to be the right place for that, to display some of the hoard alongside our own Saxon artefacts for a period of time would be a very exciting development."

Canon Wilcox said there is 'no evidence' that the hoard originated in the cathedral or was directly associated with St Chad.

But it consolidates scholars' belief, since the discovery of the Lichfield Angel in 2003, that eighth century Lichfield was a far greater centre of wealth and culture than previously thought.

"Our St Chad Gospels are also key evidence of this," added Canon Wilcox. "There are now three stunning local artefacts surviving from that period.

"No-one should look at our eighth century angel and gospel book without reference to the Anglo Saxon gold, and no-one should try to interpret The Staffordshire Hoard except in relation to the Chad Gospels and the Lichfield Angel."

Some items from the hoard are currently being displayed at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery until October 13th.

Staffordshire Hoard should be kept in Staffordshire

Staffordshire County Council Leader Philip Atkins has vowed to have the Staffordshire Hoard exhibited in local museums once they are able to go on permanent display.

The Hoard is the largest ever find of Anglo-Saxon gold treasure, and is unparalleled in terms of size and quality.

It consists of over 1,500 items, probably dating from the seventh or eight centuries. The Hoard was discovered on farmland in southern Staffordshire in July this year.

Philip Atkins said: "This is a world class find, and possibly the most significant treasure discovery in the British Isles since the Sutton Hoo excavations of 1939."

"When the South Staffordshire Coroner, Andrew Haigh, formerly declared the Hoard to be treasure earlier today it cleared the way for the Hoard to be acquired by a museum."

"Staffordshire County Council will play a full role in this process in the best interests of the people of Staffordshire. This is our heritage and we need to do it justice".

"This will be a lengthy and complex process. It is also important to note that this will be a partnership effort. Our neighbouring authorities in Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham have also expressed an interest in the acquisition. Other significant players in the process will include The British Museum and English Heritage."

Philip also paid tribute to the work by the county council's Historic Environment Team to recover the Hoard.

He said: "The security of the site was always of the utmost concern, but I was kept informed of progress throughout, as was the local county councillor.

"It has been a difficult and demanding task and required consummate professionalism working with colleagues from the Portable Antiquities Scheme. This effort has been fully justified. This is an outstanding discovery and places Staffordshire in the international spotlight."

Meanwwhile, problems emerged yesterday at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, where some of the Staffordshire Hoard items are being displayed.

A ticket system was put in place, in which people were given an allocated time to return to the exhibition - but this soon resulted in people were told to come back up to four hours later.

Musuem officials apologized for the problems, and said that they will now return to the old system where visitors would just wait in line to enter the exhibit. About 100 people are coming to see the Staffordshire Hoard items every half hour.

Large Crowds come to see the Anglo-Saxon Treasure Hoard

Hundreds of people have been queuing to see part of the UK's biggest haul of Anglo-Saxon treasure in Birmingham.

About 1,300 mainly gold and silver items have been recovered after initial discoveries by treasure hunter Terry Herbert in Staffordshire.

Visitors to Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery are able to see a selection of the items until 13 October.

So many people turned up on the first day, the opening was delayed while exhibits were moved to a larger space.

Visitor, John Welsh, a jeweller from Rednal, Birmingham, said the treasure was "so intricate".

"I expected it to be a lot cruder because it's so old, but not at all. They almost look as though they could be modern some of the filigree designs," he said.

Meanwhile, curators at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, in conjunction with partners from across the region including Staffordshire County Council, are now starting the process of bidding for funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to allow the impressive haul to remain in the city.

Rita McLean, head of Birmingham museums, predicted it could become a major coup for the city on the same lines as the Book of Kells in Trinity College, Dublin.

“I think it will lift the profile of Birmingham,” she said. “It will be a fascinating display and would become a major tourist attraction.”

Birmingham council leader Mike Whitby said: “It’s only right and proper that the artefacts remain in the region they were found.”

It remains to be seen if the Birmingham Museum will need to expand to accomodate this collection, which is expected to generate large crowds and much interest.

Professor Vince Gaffney, director of research and archeology at the University of Birmingham, said the find placed the West Midlands at the heart of historical debate.

“You can’t exaggerate how important this will be, and as we find out more, this haul will simply grow in importance,” he said.

Birmingham’s heritage champion Peter Douglas Osborn said the discovery is evidence that the Midlands is the birthplace of England.

“This is such an impressive haul that it is clear evidence that Mercia would have been the most important kingdom in Anglo-Saxon Britain and the name of England comes from the Angles,” he said.

See also:

Where to see the Staffordshire Hoard

Massive Anglo-Saxon Hoard Discovered

Images from the Staffordshire Treasure Hoard

More News on the Anglo-Saxon Treasure Hoard Discovery

More Videos on the Anglo Saxon Treasure Hoard Discovery

Four more videos have been posted online about the discovery - the first from the BBC World Service, and the second from Fox News, which includes an interview Corey Powell of Discovery Magazine. The third video is Staffordshire City Council, which includes interviews with local archaeologists. The final video is from the Associated Press.

More news on the Anglo-Saxon treasure hoard discovery

The news of the discovery of a massive Anglo Saxon treasure hoard in Staffordshire has been receiving a great amount of media coverage from around the world. We will try to keep you updated with any further news about the find.

Some more information about the find has come out within the last few hours. First is a detailed commentary about the treasure hoard from one of the medievalists who has been working on the artifacts.

Dr Kevin Leahy, National Finds Adviser from the Portable Antiquities Scheme. Kevin is an expert in early medieval metalwork and Saxon craftsmanship. Here are some of Kevin’s initial analysis of this remarkable find:

“The two most striking features of the Hoard are that it is unbalanced and it is of exceptionally high quality. Unbalanced because of what we don’t find. There is absolutely nothing feminine. There are no dress fittings, brooches or pendants. These are the gold objects most commonly found from the Anglo-Saxon era. The vast majority of items in the Hoard are martial - war gear, especially sword fittings.

“The quantity of gold is amazing but, more importantly, the craftsmanship is consummate. This was the very best that the Anglo-Saxon metalworkers could do, and they were very good. Tiny garnets were cut to shape and set in a mass of cells to give a rich, glowing effect; it is stunning. Its origins are clearly the very highest-levels of Saxon aristocracy or royalty. It belonged to the elite.

“Most of the gold and silver items appear to have been deliberately torn from the objects to which they were originally attached. We have over 80 gold and garnet pommel caps, and there also appear to be fittings from helmets.

“This is not simply loot; swords were being singled out for special treatment. If it were just gold they were after we would have found the rich fittings from sword belts. Perhaps gold fittings were stripped from the swords to depersonalise them – to remove the identity of the previous owner. The blades would then be remounted and reused.

“It looks like a collection of trophies, but it is impossible to say if the Hoard was the spoils from a single battle or a long and highly successful military career. We also cannot say who the original, or the final, owners were, who took it from them, why they buried it or when. It will be debated for decades.

“We don’t know how it came to be buried in that field, it may have been a tribute to the pagan gods or concealed in the face of a perceived, but all too real, threat, which led to it not being recovered. When we have done more work on the Hoard we will be able to say more about it.

“Despite their war-like nature the decoration on these objects is delightful; Some are decorated in what is known as “Anglo-Saxon Style II” which consist of strange animals, interlaced around each other, their long jaws intertwined. There is a joy to it. Many objects are inlaid with garnets and even covered in earth the colour is still breath-taking.

“There is so much material in this Hoard that we may have to rethink seventh century metalwork. Earlier finds will be looked at in the context of what we find amongst this mass of material. In the past the seventh century has always been looked at from the point of view of East Anglia and Kent. It’s going to be hard to forget the Midlands after this! There are exciting times ahead.

“The discovery of this Hoard in Staffordshire should cause no surprise. It is in the heartland of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia which was militarily aggressive and expansionist during the seventh century under kings Penda, Wulfhere and Aethelred. This material could have been collected by any of these during their wars with Northumbria and East Anglia or by someone whose name is lost to history. Here we are
seeing history confirmed before our eyes.”



Furthermore, for those interested in what was written on one of the artifacts - a gold strip - the text is in Latin and it is from a Biblical verse - the Book of Numbers, Chapter 10 verse 35 and reads: 'Surge domine et dissipentur inimici tui et fugiant qui oderunt te a facie tua'. The English translation would be: ‘Rise up, o Lord, and may thy enemies be dispersed and those who hate thee be driven from thy face'

We will try to bring you more information about some of the individual pieces from this find.

Please see also our earlier articles: Massive Anglo Saxon hoard discovered and our collection of eight videos about the discovery.

Videos on the Anglo-Saxon treasure hoard discovery

Four video news reports on the discovery of the Anglo-Saxon treasure hoard discovered in Staffordshire:

Massive Anglo-Saxon hoard discovered

An amateur treasure hunter prowling English farmland with a metal detector stumbled upon what has been described as the largest Anglo-Saxon treasure ever discovered, a massive collection of gold and silver crosses, sword decorations and other items, British archaeologists said Thursday.

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

Roger Bland, head of portable antiquities and treasure at the British Museum, told the inquest in Cannock that the significance of the find was "only beginning to dawn" on the small number of experts who have examined it.

"It is at least as significant as any of the major discoveries of this period that have been made in the past."

"It is assumed that the items were buried by their owners at a time of danger with the intention of later coming back and recovering them."

The inquest heard that the haul was found by metal detectorist Terry Herbert just below the surface of a cultivated field in south Staffordshire in July.

Mr Bland said the hoard - thought to date back to between 675 and 725AD - was unearthed in what was once the Kingdom of Mercia. "I think wealth of this kind must have belonged to a king but we cannot say that for absolute certain," the expert told Mr Haigh.

Herbert, from the town of Burntwood, found the gold on a friend's farm on July 5 and spent the next five days scouring the field for the rest of the hoard.
"Imagine you're at home and somebody keeps putting money through your letterbox, that was what it was like," Herbert said. "I was going to bed and in my sleep I was seeing gold items."



The hoard was officially declared treasure by a coroner, which means it will now be valued by a committee of experts and offered up for sale to a museum. Proceeds would be split fifty-fifty between Herbert and his farmer friend, who has not been identified. The find's exact location is being kept secret to deter looters.

Bland said he could not give a precise figure for the worth of the hoard, but he said the treasure hunter could be in line for a "seven-figure sum."

Herbert said the experience had been "more fun than winning the lottery," adding that one expert likened his discovery to finding Tutankhamen's tomb.

"I just flushed all over when he said that. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up," Herbert said.

The hoard is in storage at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Some of the items are due to go on display starting Friday.

"The quantity of gold is amazing but, more importantly, the craftsmanship is consummate," said archaeologist Kevin Leahy, who catalogued the find. "This was the very best that the Anglo-Saxon metalworkers could do, and they were very good."
Leahy said there was still much to learn about the treasure, its purpose, and its origins.

"It looks like a collection of trophies, but it is impossible to say if the hoard was the spoils from a single battle or a long and highly successful military career," he said. "We also cannot say who the original, or the final, owners were, who took it from them, why they buried it or when. It will be debated for decades."

Bland agreed, saying that archaeologists were still baffled by the function of many of the pieces they found. "There's lots of mystery in it," he said.

Leslie Webster, an expert on Anglo-Saxons who used to work with the British Museum's Department of Prehistory and Europe, said the find was "absolutely the equivalent of finding a new Lindisfarne Gospels or Book of Kells" — a reference to famous manuscripts produced around the same time.