Staffordshire Hoard
A Burntwood man has found what is believed to be
one of the biggest finds of Anglo Saxon gold of its type in
the UK.
The items were found in an unknown location, believed
to be near Tamworth or Lichfield, by Burntwood resident Terry
Herbert.
Some of the key items from the discovery, now
called The Staffordshire Hoard, are due to go on display at
the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
A new website http://www.staffordshirehoard.org.uk/
has been created to give people a preview of some of the
historical treasures.
The
Hoard
Hoard comprises in excess of 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.
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 perpetual warfare, with the balance of power constantly ebbing
and flowing.
The land was also split along religious lines.
Christianity, introduced during the Roman occupation then driven to
near extinction, was once again the principal religion, having
gained ground at the expense of local pagan forms of worship. The
exact spot where the Hoard lay hidden cannot yet be revealed.
However we can say that it lay at the heart of the Anglo-Saxon
Kingdom of Mercia. The Hoard is the by far the largest find of
Anglo-Saxon gold ever found. There is approximately 5 kg of gold
and 2.5kg of silver (Sutton Hoo had 1.66kg of gold).
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(“the Material”) are owned by Staffordshire County Council. You may
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