Current:Home > My"Significant" hoard of Bronze Age treasure discovered by metal detectorists in Wales -ForexStream
"Significant" hoard of Bronze Age treasure discovered by metal detectorists in Wales
View
Date:2025-04-15 07:09:54
Medievel artifacts dating as far back as the Bronze Age were declared treasure by the Welsh government this week.
The items, which were found between 2020 and 2022, include a hoard of bronze artifacts such as axes, spearheads, rings and a sword scabbard. The items were discovered by Dr. Peter Anning and Alex Evans in Feb. 2021 in an empty field in Wales where drainage work had been done. The items were dated between 1000 and 800 B.C., and it's likely that they were deliberately buried in the ground by a local community in a ritual ceremony, Wales' Amgueddfa Cymru museum said in a news release.
"This collection of mostly small artefact fragments offers a fascinating glimpse into the rich tapestry of life in Late Bronze Age Cardiff," said Charles Griffiths, a researcher at the museum affiliated with the University of Reading. "Through these objects, we gain insight into the array of connections with distant communities, which would have helped people to thrive in this part of Cardiff, around 3000 years ago."
Once the hoard is evaluated by the nation's Treasure Valuation Committee, the museum said it is interested in acquiring the items. Adam Gwilt, the principal curator of prehistory at the museum, called the hoard a "significant" find that "adds to the bigger regional picture" of the culture and area during the Bronze Age.
Anning also discovered two of the other items that were declared treasures. One, a Roman silver ring fragment, he found in April 2020 while metal detecting. In February 2022, Anning found a medieval silver brooch pin in the same area, again with a metal detector. That pin dates to the 13th or 14th century, the museum said, and the items may be acquired by Wales' Cowbridge & District Museum.
"I'm not quite sure how I ended up with [so] many treasure cases in a such a small period of time!" Anning said in a statement. "I'm glad that the finds are being acquired by Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales and Cowbridge Museum and hope that both the public and museums will benefit from them being in their respective collections."
A second silver ring fragment was found in November 2022, when Richard Murton was using a metal detector in a field in Powys, Wales. This ring is from the first or second century, the museum said, and likely originally held a semi-precious stone or glass setting. The Powysland Museum and Welshpool Library have expressed interest in acquiring the ring.
Similar treasures were found in Wales earlier this year. Two hoards of coins found by metal detectors in 2018 wound up being buried Roman treasures, the Amgueddfa Cymru said earlier this year.
- In:
- Archaeologist
Kerry Breen is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.
TwitterveryGood! (516)
Related
- A White House order claims to end 'censorship.' What does that mean?
- We need to talk about teens, social media and mental health
- WHO ends global health emergency declaration for COVID-19
- ESPN's College Gameday will open 2023 college football season at battle of Carolinas
- Behind on your annual reading goal? Books under 200 pages to read before 2024 ends
- Apple AirTags can track your keys, wallet and luggage—save 10% today
- American Idol’s Just Sam Is Singing at Subway Stations Again 3 Years After Winning Show
- Montana GOP doubles down after blocking trans lawmaker from speaking, citing decorum
- Intel's stock did something it hasn't done since 2022
- Two doctors struck by tragedy in Sudan: One dead, one fleeing for his life
Ranking
- Meet first time Grammy nominee Charley Crockett
- Jonathan Majors' domestic violence trial scheduled for August in New York City
- The FDA considers first birth control pill without a prescription
- 10-year-old boy uses musical gift to soothe homeless dogs at Texas shelter
- What to watch: O Jolie night
- Abortion policies could make the Republican Party's 'suburban women problem' worse
- Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello’s New PDA Pics Prove Every Touch Is Ooh, La-La-La
- Ireland Baldwin Shares Glimpse Into Her First Week of Motherhood With Baby Holland
Recommendation
NHL in ASL returns, delivering American Sign Language analysis for Deaf community at Winter Classic
German man in bulletproof vest attempts to enter U.S. Embassy in Paraguay, officials say
Candace Cameron Bure Reacts to Claims That She Lied About Not Eating Fast Food for 20 Years
Climate Change Threatens a Giant of West Virginia’s Landscape, and It’s Rippling Through Ecosystems and Lives
IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
It Took This Coal Miner 14 Years to Secure Black Lung Benefits. How Come?
Hurry to Coach Outlet to Shop This $188 Shoulder Bag for Just $66
Edgy or insensitive? The Paralympics TikTok account sparks a debate