King Harold coins from 1066 and Roman artefacts top UK’s 2024 treasure finds | Archaeology
Archaeological finds and treasures discovered in Britain in 2024 include World War II. It includes a hoard of coins, a rare piece of Roman vehicle equipment and a group of early medieval objects linked to Harold and most likely buried on the eve of the battle in 1066.
This was a record-breaking year for archaeological and treasure finds in Britain; thanks in large part to metal detectors, the highest number ever recorded in a single year.
Figures released by the British Museum on Tuesday showed that publicly reported findings accounted for 94% of the total, marking a significant increase over the past three years.
Metal detecting has grown in popularity and the museum said the findings demonstrate the public’s contribution to documenting and preserving the nation’s history.
The museum displayed some of the most extraordinary discoveries, including a hoard of 179 silver pennies that were probably buried on the eve of the battle in 1066. This is one of several hoards accumulated in the 1060s, a period of significant political turmoil, but this find contained only coins from the short reign of Harold II.
One possibility, the museum said, is that the hoard was deposited at the end of Harold’s rule and buried around the time Norway invaded England by King Harald Hardrada in September 1066. Harald is known to have briefly captured York after a battle at Fulford, just a short distance from where the hoard was located.
Also on display was a complete set of copper alloy Roman tool hardware, probably dating from AD 43 to AD 200, discovered by a detector in Essex. The museum said such vehicle rigging was rare in Britain and that they were probably attached to the body of a cart or wagon, or to the yoke that attached pack animals to the vehicle.
The final finds on display were a series of early medieval precious metal objects found in plow soil in Wiltshire. These included a silver, gold and garnet bird head terminal inlaid with ivory, possibly from a drinking horn, several gold rings and other metal objects.
The pieces were discovered meters apart by detectorists and may form part of a high-status early medieval grave. Together, they provide a window into elite lifestyles and international connections throughout the period. The follow-up excavation will be carried out by Cardiff University and the Portable Antiquities Programme. [PAS] in the coming months.
Director of the British Museum, Dr. Nicholas Cullinan said the PAS and Treasury process were “vital tools to preserve and record Britain’s past, ensuring that extraordinary discoveries made by the public are preserved, studied and made publicly available.”
In total, 79,616 findings were recorded in 2024, up from 74,506 in 2023 and 53,490 in 2022, and 1,540 treasure cases were reported in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2024, an increase of 163 on the previous year.
according to Treasury Act 1996Treasure is defined as any metallic object other than a coin, provided that at least 10% of its weight is precious metal (gold or silver) and is at least 300 years old.
The counties with the highest number of PAS findings recorded were Norfolk (7,120), Suffolk (5,410), Lincolnshire (5,133) and Gloucestershire (5,034); It is known that all agricultural districts have a rich archaeological heritage. During the same period, Norfolk (138), Hampshire (110) and North Yorkshire (109) recorded the highest number of treasure finds.
More than 92% of the objects were recovered from cultivated land, where archaeological material is particularly susceptible to agricultural damage.
Ian Richardson, the museum’s acting head of portable antiques and treasure, said the continued increase in the number of finds was “testament to the dedication among finders across the country”.
He added: “Their responsible reporting allows us to build a richer, more detailed picture of life in the past, while ensuring that important objects are preserved for the public good.”
