Staffordshire Hoard

The Staffordshire Hoard is the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold that has been found to date. Discovered in a field in Staffordshire, England, on 5 July 2009, the hoard consists of about 5 kg (11 lb) of gold and 1.3 kg (2.9 lb) of silver. The deposit consists of over 1,500 items that are nearly all martial in character. The artefacts have tentatively been dated to the 7th to 8th centuries, placing the origin of the items in the time of the kingdom of Mercia. Experts have theorised about the purpose of the deposit, and whether those who made it were Christians or pagans.

Discovery
Terry Herbert of Burntwood in Staffordshire, a 55-year-old who had been practising amateur metal detection for eighteen years, uncovered a few scraps of gold on a farm owned by Fred Johnson near Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, in July 2009.[1][2] The hoard was reported to Duncan Slarke, the local officer of the Portable Antiquities Scheme, and on 24 September 2009 was declared treasure by the South Staffordshire coroner Andrew Haigh, meaning it belongs to The Crown.[3] The hoard is believed to be worth in excess of 1 million, which will be paid as a reward to the landowner and Herbert.[4] Following the discovery, archaeological recovery of the hoard was completed by Birmingham Archaeology, associated with the University of Birmingham, and Staffordshire County Council, under the direction of Roger Bland, head of portable antiquities and treasure at the British Museum. Because of the importance of the find, the site of the hoard has been kept secret, though no traces of any graves, buildings, or other structures have been found.[4] The discovery was announced publicly on 24 September 2009, after completion of the coroner's inquest, with the site being reported only as "near Burntwood".[5] The objects are currently placed in the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, where they are on display until 13 October.[6] There is currently much discussion, with all partners, as to the future transfer of the hoard. As of 24 September 2009, 1,381 objects had been recovered, of which 864 have a mass of less than 3 grams, 507 less than 1 gram. X-rays of unexamined lumps of earth suggest that there are more to be revealed. Early analysis established that the hoard was not associated with a burial.[7] The hoard consists of about 5 kg (11 lb) of gold and 1.3 kg (2.9 lb) of silver,[8] and is the largest treasure of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver objects discovered to date, eclipsing, at least in quantity, the 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) hoard found in the Sutton Hoo ship burial in 1939.[4]

Contents
The hoard consists of over 1,500 items.[8] The contents include finely worked silver and gold sword decorations removed from weaponry, including 66 gold sword hilt collars and many gold hilt plates, some with inlays[7] described as Cloisonn zoomorphic garnet.[9] The Staffordshire Hoard official press statement notes that the only items in the hoard that are obviously non-martial are two (or possibly three) crosses. The largest of the three crosses is missing some decorative settings (yet some are present but detached) but otherwise remains intact, and it may have been

an altar or processional cross. Yet the cross is folded; either prior to burial "to make it fit into a small space" or as a sign that the burial deposit was made by pagans. On the other hand, the statement notes, "Christians were also quite capable of despoiling each other's shrines."[8] One of the objects is a small strip of gold inscribed on both sides with a well known Latin quotation[note 1] from the Old Testament: SURGE DNE DISEPENTUR INIMICI TUI ET FUGENT QUI ODERUNT TE A FACIE TUA ("Surge Domine et dissipentur inimici tui et fugiant qui oderunt te a facie tua"), which translates as: "Rise up, Lord; may Your enemies be scattered and those who hate You be driven from Your face."[8] Michelle Brown, Professor of Medieval Manuscripts Studies in London, believes that, based on the use of uncial letter forms, the style of lettering used implies a date of 7th or early 8th century, whereas Professor Elisabeth Okasha of University College Cork has identified traits such as the use of insular majuscule, which suggest a date of 8th or early 9th century.[8][10] Most of the other treasures unearthed in the hoard appear to be military-related and the strip may have been fastened originally to a shield or a sword belt.[11] There are no feminine-related finds, which are the more common Anglo-Saxon gold finds, and reportedly, the contents "show every sign of being carefully selected".[7]

Purpose
Michael Lewis, the Deputy head of Portable Antiquities Scheme at the British Museum, notes that there are two main possibilities for the purpose of the burial of the hoard: either it was a votive deposit (an offering to gods) or "a treasure chest that got lost, or they couldn't come back for it." Lewis comments that "from my 21stcentury perspective, I find it bewildering that someone could shove so much metalwork into the ground as an offering. That seems like overkill."[12] Kevin Leahy, National Finds Adviser of the Portable Antiquities Scheme, says that the quantity of gold is "amazing" and that, "more importantly, the craftsmanship is consummate, this was the very best that the Anglo-Saxon metalworkers could do, and they were very good." Leahy says that the finds must originate from the "very highest-levels of Saxon aristocracy or royalty. It belonged to the elite." Leahy comments that the find does not consist simply of loot, pointing out that swords were specifically singled out, that most of the gold and silver items appear to have been intentionally removed from the objects they were previously attached to, and that, if the depositer was just after the gold, fittings from sword belts would have been discovered. Leahy theorizes that the intention behind the removal of the gold fittings may have been to depersonalise the objects; removing the identity of the previous owners. The blades may have then been reused.[13] Leahy observes that the hoard appears to be a collection of trophies, yet that it is impossible to say whether the hoard consists of the spoils of a single battle or is the result of a long series of successful military engagements. Leahy notes that "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." In addition, Leahy states that the reason for the burial is unknown. Leahy theorizes that the deposit "may have been tribute to pagan gods or concealed in the face of a perceived, but all too real, threat, which led to it not being recovered." Leahy notes that further work will result in a better understanding of how the hoard came to be buried.[13] Leahy notes that the find includes dozens of pommel capsdecorative attachments to sword handles

and that Beowulf contains a reference to warriors stripping the pommels of their enemies' swords.[14]

Historical background
Further information: Mercia, Heptarchy, and Anglo-Saxon Christianity Staffordshire was part of the kingdom of Mercia in the 7th and 8th centuries, an era for which written texts are scant, aside from Bede, whose Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, finished in 731, was written from the Christian perspective of a monk in Northumbria; Bede, however, appears to have had no contacts in Mercia.[15] Archaeology and other contemporary literary sources (such as Brut y Tywysogion) are used to gather information regarding the missing cultural history. Michael Lewis opines that attempting to identify the hoard to a particular individual is not realistic. Lewis notes that, during the period that the hoard dates from, some rulers from Mercia are well known, including Penda and Offa. Lewis states that Penda ruled slightly before the period of the hoard, and "Offa is right at the end, so it has to be someone in the middle." Lewis points out that the historical record for the period shows a dependency on Bede, whom he notes wrote from a Christian perspective, yet that the Mercians at the time were likely pagans, and "they could have been overlooked by Bede even though they might have been important, because he wasn't interested in them for whatever reason." Lewis comments that the hoard will assist in looking back at literary sources and historical figures with more scrutiny.
[12]

Significance
The hoard has been described by Leslie Webster, former keeper of the department of prehistory at the British Museum, as "absolutely the metalwork equivalent of finding a new Lindisfarne Gospels or Book of Kells" and stated further that "this is going to alter our perceptions of Anglo-Saxon England as radically, if not more so, as the Sutton Hoo discoveries".[16] Bland said: "It is a fantastically important discovery. 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." He commented the hoard was thought to date back to between AD 675 and 725, during the time of the kingdom of Mercia.[dubious discuss][5] Anglo-Saxon treasure found in British farmer's field offers new insight into early rulers

LONDON (AP) It's an unprecedented find that could revolutionize ideas about medieval England's Germanic rulers: An amateur treasure-hunter searching a farmer's field with a metal detector unearthed a huge collection of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver artifacts. The discovery sent a thrill through Britain's archaeological community, which said Thursday that it offers new insight into the world of the Anglo-Saxons, who ruled England from the fifth century until the 1066 Norman invasion and whose cultural influence is still felt throughout the English-speaking world.

"This is just a fantastic find completely out of the blue," Roger Bland, who managed the cache's excavation, told The Associated Press. "It will make us rethink the Dark Ages." The treasure trove includes intricately designed helmet crests embossed with a frieze of running animals, enamel-studded sword fittings and a checkerboard piece inlaid with garnets and gold. One gold band bore a biblical inscription in Latin calling on God to drive away the bearer's enemies. The Anglo-Saxons were a group of Germanic tribes who invaded England starting in the wake of the collapse of the Roman Empire. Their artisans made striking objects out of gold and enamel, and their language, Old English, is a precursor of modern English. The cache of gold and silver pieces was discovered in what was once Mercia, one of five main Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, and is thought to date to between 675 and 725. For Terry Herbert, the unemployed metal-detecting enthusiast who made the discovery on July 5 while scouring a friend's farm in the western region of Staffordshire, it was "more fun than winning the lottery." The 55-year-old spent five days searching the field alone before he realized he needed help and notified authorities. Professional archaeologists then took over the find. "I was going to bed and in my sleep I was seeing gold items," Herbert said of the experience. The gold alone in the collection weighs 11 pounds and suggests that early medieval England was a far wealthier place than previously believed, according to Leslie Webster, the former curator of Anglo-Saxon archaeology at the British Museum. She said the crosses and other religious artifacts mixed in with the military items might shed new light on the relationship between Christianity and warfare among the AngloSaxons in particular a large cross she said may have been carried into battle. The hoard was officially declared treasure by a coroner on Thursday, which means it will be valued by experts and offered up for sale to a museum in Britain. Proceeds will be split 50-50 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 value of the collection, but said the two could each be in line for a "seven-figure sum." Kevin Leahy, the archaeologist who catalogued the find, said the stash includes dozens of pommel caps decorative elements attached to the knobs of swords and appeared to be war loot. He noted that "Beowulf," the Anglo-Saxon epic poem, contains a reference to

warriors stripping the pommels of their enemies' weapons as mementoes. "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." Experts said they've so far examined a total of 1,345 items. But they've also recovered 56 pieces of earth that X-ray analysis suggests contain more artifacts meaning the total could rise to about 1,500. The craftsmanship was some of the highest-quality ever seen in finds of this kind, Leahy said, and many British archaeologists clearly shared his enthusiasm. Bland, who has documented discoveries across Britain, called it "completely unique." Martin Welch, a specialist in Anglo-Saxon archaeology at University College London, said no one had found "anything like this in this country before." Herbert said one expert likened his discovery to finding Egyptian Pharoah Tutankhamen's tomb, adding: "I just flushed all over when he said that. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up." The collection is in storage at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, where some of the items are to go on display starting Friday. It's unclear how the gold ended up in the field, although archaeologists suggested it may have been buried to hide the loot from roving enemies, a common practice at the time. The site's location is unusual as well Anglo-Saxon remains have tended to cluster in the country's south and east, while the so-called "Staffordshire hoard" was found in the west. In the meantime, archaeologists say they're likely to be busy for years puzzling out the meaning of some of the collection's more unusual pieces like five enigmatic gold snakes or a strip of gold bearing a crudely written and misspelled Biblical inscription in Latin. "Rise up, O Lord, and may thy enemies be dispersed and those who hate thee be driven from thy face," reads the inscription, believed to be from the Book of Numbers. Also of interest is the largest of the crosses, which experts say may have been an altar or processional piece. It had been folded, possibly to make it fit into a small space prior to burial, and the apparent lack of respect shown to such a Christian symbol may point to the hoard being buried by pagans. "The things that we can't identify are the ones that are going to teach us something new,"

Leahy said. For England, a country at the edge of Europe whose history owes an enormous debt to the Anglo-Saxons, the find has the potential to become one of its top national treasures, according to Webster. Caroline Barton, assistant treasure registrar at the British Museum, said objects over 300 years old and made up of more that 10 percent precious metal are only offered for sale to accredited museums in Britain, so the collection will not be leaving the country. ___ Associated Press writer Karolina Tagaris in London contributed to this report.