Found with a metal detector: 52,503 bronze and silver Roman coins in a ceramic pot

The Frome Hoard is a hoard of 52,503 Roman coins found by metal detectorist Dave Crisp near Frome in Somerset, England.  The coins were contained in a ceramic pot 45 cm (18 in) in diameter, and date from AD 253 to 305.

Most of the coins are made from debased silver or bronze. The hoard is one of the largest ever found in Britain and is also important as it contains the largest group ever found of coins issued during the reign of Carausius, who ruled Britain independently from 286 to 293 and was the first Roman emperor to strike coins in Britain.

The Museum of Somerset in Taunton, using a grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF), has acquired the hoard, officially valued at £320,250.

The hoard was discovered while Crisp was metal detecting in a field near Frome where he had previously found late Roman silver coins.

The late Roman coins, eventually totalling 62, were probably the remnants of a scattered hoard, 111 of which had been found on the same farm in 1867.

Whilst searching for more coins from the scattered hoard he received what he called a “funny signal” and on digging down about 35 cm (14 in) he found a small radiate coin and the top of the pot. Realizing that this must be an intact coin hoard he stopped digging and filling in the hole he had made.

Crisp notified Katie Hinds, the Portable Antiquities Scheme Finds Liaison Officer for Wiltshire, that he had found the hoard of coins.

Hinds, together with Anna Booth (Finds Liaison Officer for Somerset) and Alan Graham—an independent archaeologist contracted by Somerset County Council—visited the site to carry out an emergency excavation.

The excavation, led by Graham and assisted by Hinds, Booth, Crisp, and members of the landowner’s family, was performed over three days.

Graham initially excavated a 1.5 meters (4.9 ft) trench around the small hole that Crisp had dug and identified the pit in which the pot had been deposited.

A small black-burnished ware bowl had been inverted over the mouth of the larger pot, to form a lid.

First, he excavated the pit fill around the exterior of the pot, identifying organic matter which might represent packing material to protect it, and determined that the pot had been broken in situ long before its discovery.

He then excavated the pot itself. Due to the weight of the contents, the need for speedy excavation due to security concerns and the difficulty in lifting the broken pot with the contents still inside—which would be the preferred archaeological method, so that the contents could be excavated in controlled, laboratory conditions—the decision was taken to excavate the coins in the field.

The coins were removed in 12 layers, by which method it was hoped to determine if there was any chronological pattern in the deposition of the coins; that is, whether the earliest coins were at the bottom and the latest coins at the top.  

The coins were collected in 66 labeled bags, and in total weighed approximately 160 kg (350 lb). Graham excavated and recorded the finds, and the others bagged the coins as Graham lifted them out.

The face of Priest Buried at Lincoln Cathedral Reconstructed

A facial reconstruction of a medieval priest found buried at Lincoln Cathedral has been unveiled.

The clergy members ‘ discoveries and facial reconstruction have been shared by archeologists who unearthed a particularly rare Medieval priestly burial in the Lincoln cathedral earlier this year to allow us to see the priest’s face and to give us an insight in what life would have been like for him.

Allen Archaeology Ltd, Lincoln, has uncovered the priest’s burial during an excavation –as part of the Lincoln Cathedral Connected project – to enable drainage works and landscaping around the Cathedral, in the area that is now the building’s West Parvis.

The skeleton analysis has confirmed that the medieval priest was a man, about 169 cm tall and died between the ages of 35 and 45 years old, but most likely in his late 30s.

Regarding the associated grave goods interred with him – a pewter chalice and paten which are key symbols of the work of a priest and used during communion – the report shows that these objects were plain in style, and similar examples have been dated back to as far as the 12th and 13th centuries.

Inverness-based forensic artist Hew Morrison, used Allen Archaeology’s findings and photographs of the skull, to build up a reconstruction of the priest’s face.

The outcome looks like a real-life photo; enabling the people of Lincoln and Lincolnshire to come face to face with the medieval priest.

Forensic studies have shown that facial reconstruction techniques do not create an exact likeness, but a close representative image of a particular person that could be recognized by those who knew them.

In this instance, without the availability of DNA testing, the colour of the hair and eyes, etc. are conjectural, but the features of the priest’s skull – his close-set eyes and slightly asymmetrical chin – plus his estimated age at the time of death, are factual information that forms the basis for facial reconstruction.

From the bone report, a number of interesting and unusual traits were found on the rest of the priest’s body.

There was little sign in the skeleton that he had suffered from any disease or injury during his life, with the exception of a small lump resulting from deep tissue bruising and small deposits of mineralized dental plaque.

Hypoplasia (underdevelopment of tissue) which was seen in a neck vertebra, may have been associated with asymmetry of the blood vessels, but whilst this has been shown to increase predisposition to certain types of stroke, it is not possible to conclude that the priest had any associated symptoms.

The degeneration of the discs of his lower spine shows that the priest was involved in some level of physical activity, and are within the changes that would be expected to have occurred with age. His remains suggest that he was apparently well-nourished and had a relatively risk-free lifestyle.

The Revd Canon, John Patrick, Subdean of Lincoln, said: “These excavation findings are truly captivating and the historical insights we gain are a testament to the rich history of the religious site.

This burial was one of many significant objects discovered during renovation works and we look forward to being able to see many of these treasures in the new visitor center.

“The whole cathedral team and I hope everyone is keeping well in these unprecedented times and we are eager to welcome people back to the cathedral once government lockdown measures are lifted.”

During this excavation, a host of other fascinating historic artifacts were unearthed which are currently being studied and dated. It is planned that some will be displayed as part of the new Lincoln Cathedral visitor centre, which is currently under construction due to complete later this year.

A senior manager at Allen Archaeology, Natasha Powers, said: “This burial is just one of the fascinating discoveries that our team has made during the Cathedral Connected project. We have revealed new evidence of Roman, Saxon, medieval, Tudor and Victorian activity within the site, and full analysis of the 50 or so burials that have been unearthed will provide us with a window into understanding the lives of the medieval population of Lincoln.”

The area between the West Front of the cathedral and the neighboring Exchequergate Arch is known to have been used as a burial ground for not only the cathedral but the church of St Mary Magdalene, in nearby Bailgate. Part of the area of the Dean’s Green was also used as a burial ground for the cathedral, as were the many green spaces surrounding it.

The National Lottery-funded Connected project includes the delivery of vital restoration and renovation works to the iconic Lincoln Cathedral which is due to complete in 2022. The works will provide news spaces for all to enjoy, including a new visitor center, and will help to protect and safeguard the cathedral for generations to come.

Well-Preserved Medieval Brooch Discovered in England

The origins of a 1,100-year-old brooch found in a lorry-load of soil may be “a mystery” that is never solved, say archaeologists.

According to the archaeologists who think the brooch being discovered in a lorry full of soil means its original resting place will stay a mystery.

The valuable silver item dates back to the end of the 9th century. It was found in a field of Great Dunham, Norfolk, UK, when landscaping of a field was being developed.

The brooch was found in a lorry full of soil being used during the landscaping project. The landowner doesn’t know exactly where the soil came from.

It is not known where the soil came from, but experts say the find is similar to the nearby Pentney Hoard. The British Museum said the discovery was of “national importance”.

An inquest – the process by which the find may be officially declared treasure – has been opened in Norwich and will conclude on 9 June.

The brooch was found by an inexperienced detectorist on 9 May 2019, on just his third-day detecting.

He initially thought the piece was Victorian, but when archaeologists at Norfolk County Council were alerted they visited the scene to excavate further.

During the dig, the team found a 19th Century plough buried beneath the level of the Saxon brooch, suggesting the brooch had been deposited from elsewhere.

The landowner said he had dumped topsoil on the field to level it, but did not know where the delivery had come from.

“He said he flagged down the occasional lorry,” said Steven Ashley, the council’s senior finds archaeologist.

“They wouldn’t have moved the soil very far, so it’s likely to be from central or west Norfolk somewhere.

“I think it would be very hard to trace the provenance of the brooch now. I think it will remain a mystery.”

‘National significance’

The brooch, about three inches (7cm) in diameter, features a cross with concave arms, over a saltire, and is decorated with animals in the Trewhiddle style, with a fastening pin on the back.

Mr Ashley said the “remarkable” piece had similarities to the Pentney Hoard, a find of six disc brooches in 1978 in West Norfolk.

“It looks to me that they were made by the same craftsman or in the same workshop,” he added. Prof Michael Lewis of the British Museum said it was “of national significance”.

He said the brooch was likely to have belonged to someone of “relatively high status” because of its high silver content.