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.
What can we learn from the Staffordshire Hoard?
The research has shown that there is a ‘hierarchy’ within the hoard objects. There are not any poorly-made objects or fittings from low-status objects. But there are some objects that are better and more finely crafted, and made with higher-quality gold than the rest.
What is the value of the Staffordshire Hoard?
The five kilograms of gold – with a melt value of around £100,000 – have been called priceless but their monetary valuation as art objects is important. On September 24, the South Staffordshire Coroner formally declared the hoard “treasure”.
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.
What does the Staffordshire Hoard tell us about the Anglo Saxons?
Scientific analysis tells us that the Anglo-Saxon goldsmiths managed to change the surface of the objects to remove some of the silver. This has the effect of making the object look even more golden.
What happened to the Staffordshire Hoard after it was found?
All of the Staffordshire Hoard Treasure finds from 2009 and 2012 are now owned jointly by Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent City Councils on behalf of the nation, and cared for by Birmingham Museums Trust and the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent.
Where is 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.
What is the largest treasure ever found in the British Isles?
The Staffordshire Hoard is the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalwork yet found. It consists of almost 4,600 items and metal fragments, amounting to a total of 5.1 kg (11 lb) of gold, 1.4 kg (3 lb) of silver and some 3,500 pieces of garnet cloisonné jewellery.
Why are there no coins in the Staffordshire Hoard?
The simple answer is that it is the ‘wrong’ type of hoard. This may well be true (see below, pp. 48–9), but such an answer risks a circular argument. Even if there were consensus on the character of the hoard, which is not the case, one of the major factors which defines that character is the absence of coins.
How many coins are a hoard UK?
Most Roman hoards are composed largely or entirely of coins, and are relatively common in Britain, with over 1,200 known examples.
How long is the Staffordshire Hoard at Sutton Hoo?
A long-awaited exhibition of some of the most important Anglo-Saxon finds is set to open at Sutton Hoo this spring after a two-year delay due to Covid-19 restrictions. Swords of Kingdoms: The Staffordshire Hoard at Sutton Hoo opens at the National Trust site on May 19 and will run until October 30.
How long was the Hoxne hoard buried for?
A pirates and a archaeologists dream find, the discovery was the largest hoard to be found in Britain, for 1,500 years or more the treasures lay underground, undisturbed, after being buried in the early 5th century A.D.
When was the Sutton Hoo sword found?
What is the Staffordshire Hoard? The Staffordshire Hoard is the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver ever found and of a quality rarely seen when it was unearthed by a metal detectorist in a farmer’s field in 2009. It joined the Sutton Hoo Great Ship Burial as one of the greatest Anglo-Saxon finds ever made.
What do Anglo-Saxons value most?
The Anglo-Saxons valued bravery, perseverance, sacrifice, loyalty, duty to the tribe and king, and honor. These ideals, known as the Heroic Code in Beowulf, exemplify what they deemed important in their culture. They used stories to teach these morals to successive generations.
Why were Anglo-Saxons buried with their possessions?
The ship was full of gold and silver, jewellery and weapons, bowls and cups. In Anglo-Saxon times these sorts of things were often buried with people when they died – perhaps because the Anglo-Saxons thought the dead person would need them on their journey to another life, or when he got there.
Did the Anglo-Saxons value treasure?
In Anglo-Saxon culture, gold was one of the most valuable possessions a person could own. Gold and treasure was a sign of wealth, honor, respect and power. To the Anglo-Saxons, people lived their lives to become more honorable in the eyes of their peers.
When did Mercia disappear?
Mercia
| Kingdom of Mercia Old English: Miercna rīċe Latin: Merciorum regnum | |
|---|---|
| Legislature | Witenagemot |
| Historical era | Heptarchy |
| • Established | 527 |
| • Disestablished | 918 |
What did Terry Herbert choose to do with the Staffordshire Hoard?
Terry Herbert, 64, discovered the ancient gold and silver haul on 75-year-old farmer Fred Johnson’s land. Their find, on July 5, 2009, became an international sensation and was sold off to museums, leaving the men rich. But the duo fell out over the cash, with Mr Herbert claiming Mr Johnson wanted it all for himself.
Where is the Sutton Hoo treasure?
The British Museum, London
Where’s the 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.
Does Staffordshire still exist?
Staffordshire (/ˈstæfərdʃɪər, -ʃər/; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England.
What metal detector found the Staffordshire Hoard?
The Hoard was found by metal detectorist Herbert in a farmer’s field near Hammerwich, Staffordshire in 2009 and is Britain’s largest ever treasure case.