Milton Keynes Hoard
Encyclopedia
The Milton Keynes Hoard is a hoard
of Bronze Age
gold found in September 2000 in a field near Monkston, Milton Keynes
, England
. The hoard consisted of two torc
s, three bracelet
s, and a fragment of bronze rod contained in a pottery vessel. The inclusion of pottery in the find enabled it to be dated to around 1150–800 BC.
Weighing in at 2.02 kg (4.5 lb), the hoard was described by the British Museum
as "one of the biggest concentrations of Bronze Age gold known from Britain
". The find was deemed important for providing a "social and economic picture" for the period. The hoard was valued at £290,000 and now resides at the British Museum. The metal detector
ists who found the hoard were rewarded with 60% of the value after the authorities decided that the landowners' claim that the finders had searched without permission was unfounded.
Milton Keynes has also been the locality of many other finds of antiquity
, including several Romano-British
hoard finds within a 10 – radius of the centre of Milton Keynes.
in a field in Monkston, Milton Keynes at the invitation of local archaeologists who were closing a nearby dig, when they discovered the hoard. They immediately informed the archaeologists, (Brian Giggins, and Paul and Charmian Woodfield) an action which was later cited as imperative in preserving the historical context of the find. Hayley Bullock of the British Museum was also praised for acting quickly to preserve the site and expedite excavation.
torcs, three smaller gold bracelets, a fragment of bronze
rod or wire, and an undecorated fineware post-Deverel-Rimbury
type bowl, standing 100 mm (3.9 in) high and covered with a brown fabric.
The heaviest item (see specifications below, item 1) weighed 626.9 g (22.1 oz); the second torc and bracelet (items 2 and 4 respectively), following X-ray fluorescence
analysis at the British Museum, contained the largest amount of gold at 85% each.
The total weight is 2.02 kg (4.5 lb), and the British Museum described it as "one of the biggest concentrations of Bronze Age gold known from Britain and seems to flaunt wealth."
The finders' reporting the hoard in good time ensured "certain association between a gold hoard and pottery for the British Middle to Late Bronze Age (about 1500–800 BC)" could be established. However, the inclusion of pottery in the find confirms and maybe refines the hoard dating. Furthermore, the British Museum stated, "The find provides an invaluable link between gold types and the broader social and economic picture for Bronze Age Britain
."
and valued them at £290,000. Heritage and Rutland were entitled to a share of this with the landowners, English Partnerships
. However, because the owners of the land disputed the finders' right to search the land the Treasure Valuation Committee increased the finders' share to 60%, after finding this claim to be unwarranted.
The British Museum acquired the hoard, although replica
s (pictured) were made and displayed at the independently run Milton Keynes Museum
to commemorate the origin of the find spot.
of 43 the Catuvellauni
tribe controlled this area from their hill fort
at Danesborough, near Woburn Sands
. Under Roman occupation, the area thrived due mainly to the major Roman road
, Iter III later known as Watling Street
which runs through the area, giving rise to an associated Roman town
at Magiovinium now Fenny Stratford
. Possibly the oldest known gold coin in Britain was found here, a gold stater
of the mid-2nd century BCE. The history of Milton Keynes
shows that before its designation as a new town
, settlement can be traced back to 2000 BC; therefore, it is perhaps unsurprising that many other hoards have been found within a 10 – radius of its modern centre.
In 1789, at Windmill Field in the parish of Old Stratford
, Northamptonshire
(near Stony Stratford
in Milton Keynes
), an urn was uncovered which contained three fibulae and two headdresses. It also contained around thirty fragments of silver plaques which were decorated with images of the Roman gods
Mars
, Apollo
and Victory
. There were also inscriptions to Jupiter
and Vulcan
leading to theories that this was a votive hoard at a Roman temple.
Little Horwood: 51.968°N 0.850°W
In 1849, while ploughing land near Whaddon
, farm workers discovered a hoard of Iron Age gold staters. The amount found, depending on reports, varies between 450 to 800 and 2,000, but the lack of precision in quantifying the hoard was because "[t]he discovery attracted many persons to the spot, some of whom contrived to get possession of nearly 100 specimens... About 320 reached the hands of [landowner] Mr Lowndes". It was also poorly recorded in the first instance.
In December 2006, in Little Horwood
, three metal detectorists found 73 staters, dated from 60–50 BC, of the type that had come to be known as the Whaddon Chase type. Ian Leins, from the British Museum Department of Coins and Medals, stated in the 2005–06 Treasure Annual Report that the proximity to the Whaddon Chase find spot and the type found made it "likely" that this find "represent[s] part of the original hoard that remained undiscovered in 1849." The 2006 staters were valued at a total of £25,000 and are now in Buckinghamshire County Museum.
The 2006 staters were discovered by Andrew and Edward Clarkson, and Gordon Heritage – coincidentally one of the discoverers of the Monkston Bronze Age gold hoard. In October 2007, the three men found a further two staters in the same area, also deemed to be part of the original 1849 hoard.
The Whaddon Chase hoard remains the largest of its kind, with only the discovery of the Wickham Market Hoard
in 2008 where 840 gold staters were uncovered in Suffolk
coming close thereafter.
On New Year's Eve, 1858 near Weston Underwood, Milton Keynes
, an earthenware
vessel was found in Whites Close. It contained 166 denarii
from the 1st and 2nd century AD, 4 legionary
coins, 1 brass coin, an Augustus
from 42 BC and 4 of Mark Antony
from 30 BC. Also found was a complete 2nd century Samian bowl and other pieces of pottery, including many broken sherd
s, and even human and horse bones. The Samian bowl now resides at Buckinghamshire County Museum
.
In 1879, at New Bradwell
near Wolverton, Milton Keynes
, a Bronze Age hoard of weapons was found in a "deep cist filled with black earth" where nowadays stands the County Arms Hotel. The hoard comprised nine socketed axe
s, three broken axes, one palstave
, two spearhead
s and a leaf-shaped sword which had broken into four pieces. The collection now resides at Aylesbury Museum
.
In July 1962, a Romano-British
hoard of coins was found in Little Brickhill
(just south of Milton Keynes), in very close proximity to Watling Street. It consisted of 251 loose coins and an estimated 400 more which were corroded and had become somewhat amalgamated. The coins, dated 360–365, are now in the possession of the Bletchley Archaeological Society.
Two years later, excavation work nearby uncovered a stone and timber building. The building had been destroyed by fire and 4th century pottery was found on a cobbled floor, along with various sherds from the 4th and 11th to 12th centuries, remnants of a 13th century jug, glass and jet
beads, and around 43 coins from Tetricus I
(270–273) to Gratian
(375–383). The excavation also revealed the burial place of at least 44 people.
On 20 May 1967, at a site not far from the 1962–1964 Little Brickhill finds, a mechanical digger uncovered a hoard of 296 denarii from the 1st to 2nd century. Hearth
tools, pottery, and a fragment of whetstone
were also found. Five of the coins are now at the British Museum and the remainder are at the Buckinghamshire County Museum.
After excavation, more finds included a bronze brooch
and terret
ring. The wider implications of the excavation were that it was discovered that occupation of the area had passed through five phases from the 1st to 4th century of the Romano-British empire.
627 coins were found in 1987 which were ascertained to be from the same hoard.
In 1987, metal detectorists found 97 bronze coins spanning 307–317 at a Walton, Milton Keynes
building site. It was speculated that this was not the entire sum of the hoard.
Hoard
In archaeology, a hoard is a collection of valuable objects or artifacts, sometimes purposely buried in the ground. This would usually be with the intention of later recovery by the hoarder; hoarders sometimes died before retrieving the hoard, and these surviving hoards may be uncovered by...
of Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
gold found in September 2000 in a field near Monkston, Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The hoard consisted of two torc
Torc
A torc, also spelled torq or torque, is a large, usually rigid, neck ring typically made from strands of metal twisted together. The great majority are open-ended at the front, although many seem designed for near-permanent wear and would have been difficult to remove. Smaller torcs worn around...
s, three bracelet
Bracelet
A bracelet is an article of jewelry which is worn around the wrist. Bracelets can be manufactured from metal, leather, cloth, plastic or other materials and sometimes contain jewels, rocks, wood, and/or shells...
s, and a fragment of bronze rod contained in a pottery vessel. The inclusion of pottery in the find enabled it to be dated to around 1150–800 BC.
Weighing in at 2.02 kg (4.5 lb), the hoard was described by the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
as "one of the biggest concentrations of Bronze Age gold known from Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
". The find was deemed important for providing a "social and economic picture" for the period. The hoard was valued at £290,000 and now resides at the British Museum. The metal detector
Metal detector
A metal detector is a device which responds to metal that may not be readily apparent.The simplest form of a metal detector consists of an oscillator producing an alternating current that passes through a coil producing an alternating magnetic field...
ists who found the hoard were rewarded with 60% of the value after the authorities decided that the landowners' claim that the finders had searched without permission was unfounded.
Milton Keynes has also been the locality of many other finds of antiquity
Antiquities
Antiquities, nearly always used in the plural in this sense, is a term for objects from Antiquity, especially the civilizations of the Mediterranean: the Classical antiquity of Greece and Rome, Ancient Egypt and the other Ancient Near Eastern cultures...
, including several Romano-British
Romano-British
Romano-British culture describes the culture that arose in Britain under the Roman Empire following the Roman conquest of AD 43 and the creation of the province of Britannia. It arose as a fusion of the imported Roman culture with that of the indigenous Britons, a people of Celtic language and...
hoard finds within a 10 – radius of the centre of Milton Keynes.
Discovery
On 7 July 2000, Michael Rutland and Gordon Heritage were metal detectingMetal detector
A metal detector is a device which responds to metal that may not be readily apparent.The simplest form of a metal detector consists of an oscillator producing an alternating current that passes through a coil producing an alternating magnetic field...
in a field in Monkston, Milton Keynes at the invitation of local archaeologists who were closing a nearby dig, when they discovered the hoard. They immediately informed the archaeologists, (Brian Giggins, and Paul and Charmian Woodfield) an action which was later cited as imperative in preserving the historical context of the find. Hayley Bullock of the British Museum was also praised for acting quickly to preserve the site and expedite excavation.
Significance
The hoard in its entirety comprises two large goldGold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
torcs, three smaller gold bracelets, a fragment of bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
rod or wire, and an undecorated fineware post-Deverel-Rimbury
Deverel-Rimbury culture
The Deverel-Rimbury culture was a name given to an archaeological culture of the British Middle Bronze Age. It is named after two barrow sites in Dorset and dates to between 1600 and 1100 BC....
type bowl, standing 100 mm (3.9 in) high and covered with a brown fabric.
The heaviest item (see specifications below, item 1) weighed 626.9 g (22.1 oz); the second torc and bracelet (items 2 and 4 respectively), following X-ray fluorescence
X-ray fluorescence
X-ray fluorescence is the emission of characteristic "secondary" X-rays from a material that has been excited by bombarding with high-energy X-rays or gamma rays...
analysis at the British Museum, contained the largest amount of gold at 85% each.
The total weight is 2.02 kg (4.5 lb), and the British Museum described it as "one of the biggest concentrations of Bronze Age gold known from Britain and seems to flaunt wealth."
The finders' reporting the hoard in good time ensured "certain association between a gold hoard and pottery for the British Middle to Late Bronze Age (about 1500–800 BC)" could be established. However, the inclusion of pottery in the find confirms and maybe refines the hoard dating. Furthermore, the British Museum stated, "The find provides an invaluable link between gold types and the broader social and economic picture for Bronze Age Britain
Bronze Age Britain
Bronze Age Britain refers to the period of British history that spanned from c. 2,500 until c. 800 BC. Lasting for approximately 1700 years, it was preceded by the era of Neolithic Britain and was in turn followed by the era of Iron Age Britain...
."
Valuation and disposition
A coroner's inquest declared the finds treasureTreasure trove
A treasure trove may broadly be defined as an amount of money or coin, gold, silver, plate, or bullion found hidden underground or in places such as cellars or attics, where the treasure seems old enough for it to be presumed that the true owner is dead and the heirs undiscoverable...
and valued them at £290,000. Heritage and Rutland were entitled to a share of this with the landowners, English Partnerships
English Partnerships
English Partnerships was the national regeneration agency for England, performing a similar role on a national level to that fulfilled by Regional Development Agencies on a regional level...
. However, because the owners of the land disputed the finders' right to search the land the Treasure Valuation Committee increased the finders' share to 60%, after finding this claim to be unwarranted.
The British Museum acquired the hoard, although replica
Replica
A replica is a copy closely resembling the original concerning its shape and appearance. An inverted replica complements the original by filling its gaps. It can be a copy used for historical purposes, such as being placed in a museum. Sometimes the original never existed. For example, Difference...
s (pictured) were made and displayed at the independently run Milton Keynes Museum
Milton Keynes Museum
Milton Keynes Museum is an independent local museum in the parish of Wolverton and Greenleys in Milton Keynes, England. It is mostly run by volunteers with a small number of paid staff.The museum is housed in a former Victorian farmstead....
to commemorate the origin of the find spot.
Item specifications
| Item № | Description | Shape | Cross-section | Diameter | Max bar thickness | Weight | Gold content (approx) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Torc 1 | penannular | elliptical Ellipse In geometry, an ellipse is a plane curve that results from the intersection of a cone by a plane in a way that produces a closed curve. Circles are special cases of ellipses, obtained when the cutting plane is orthogonal to the cone's axis... |
143.5 × | 15.1 × | 626.9 g (22.1 oz) | 76% |
| 2 | Torc 2 | penannular | elliptical | 145.9 × | 12.9 × | 441.3 g (15.6 oz) | 85% |
| 3 | Bracelet 1 | C-shaped | elliptical | 84.7 × | 14.5 × | 382.6 g (13.5 oz) | 84% |
| 4 | Bracelet 2 | C-shaped | elliptical | 81.4 × | 14.4 × | 408 g (14.4 oz) | 85% |
| 5 | Bracelet 3 | D-shaped | octagonal | 73.6 × | 9.2 × | 162.5 g (5.7 oz) | 84% |
| 6 | Bronze Bronze Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal... fragment |
rod or wire | n/a | unspecified | unspecified | unspecified | 0% |
| 7 | Pottery vessel | n/a | n/a | Body: 210 mm (8.3 in) Base: 100 mm (3.9 in) Height: 100 mm (3.9 in) |
n/a | unspecified | 0% |
Other hoards from Milton Keynes and surrounding area
Before the Roman conquest of BritainRoman conquest of Britain
The Roman conquest of Britain was a gradual process, beginning effectively in AD 43 under Emperor Claudius, whose general Aulus Plautius served as first governor of Britannia. Great Britain had already frequently been the target of invasions, planned and actual, by forces of the Roman Republic and...
of 43 the Catuvellauni
Catuvellauni
The Catuvellauni were a tribe or state of south-eastern Britain before the Roman conquest.The fortunes of the Catuvellauni and their kings before the conquest can be traced through numismatic evidence and scattered references in classical histories. They are mentioned by Dio Cassius, who implies...
tribe controlled this area from their hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
at Danesborough, near Woburn Sands
Woburn Sands
Woburn Sands is a small town and civil parish that is mainly located in the Borough of Milton Keynes, England, and to the south-east of Milton Keynes itself, near Wavendon...
. Under Roman occupation, the area thrived due mainly to the major Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
, Iter III later known as Watling Street
Watling Street
Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Britons mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. The Romans later paved the route, part of which is identified on the Antonine Itinerary as Iter III: "Item a Londinio ad...
which runs through the area, giving rise to an associated Roman town
Castra
The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military defensive position. The word appears in both Oscan and Umbrian as well as in Latin. It may have descended from Indo-European to Italic...
at Magiovinium now Fenny Stratford
Fenny Stratford
Fenny Stratford is a constituent town of Milton Keynes, ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire, England and in the Civil Parish of Bletchley and Fenny Stratford. Originally an independent town, it was included in the Milton Keynes "designated area" area in 1967...
. Possibly the oldest known gold coin in Britain was found here, a gold stater
Stater
The stater was an ancient coin used in various regions of Greece.-History:The stater is mostly of Macedonian origin. Celtic tribes brought it in to Europe after using it as mercenaries in north Greece. It circulated from the 8th century BC to 50 AD...
of the mid-2nd century BCE. The history of Milton Keynes
History of Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes is a large town in South East England, founded in 1967. This history of Milton Keynes details its development from the earliest human settlements, through the plans for a 'new city' for 250,000 people in south central England, its subsequent urban design and development, to the...
shows that before its designation as a new town
New towns in the United Kingdom
Below is a list of some of the new towns in the United Kingdom created under the various New Town Acts of the 20th century. Some earlier towns were developed as Garden Cities or overspill estates early in the twentieth century. The New Towns proper were planned to disperse population following the...
, settlement can be traced back to 2000 BC; therefore, it is perhaps unsurprising that many other hoards have been found within a 10 – radius of its modern centre.
The Stony Stratford Hoard
52.056°N 0.8645°WIn 1789, at Windmill Field in the parish of Old Stratford
Old Stratford
Old Stratford is a village in the south of the English county of Northamptonshire. The river Great Ouse forms the boundary with Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.-Location:...
, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
(near Stony Stratford
Stony Stratford
Stony Stratford is a constituent town of Milton Keynes and is a civil parish with a town council within the Borough of Milton Keynes. It is in the north west corner of Milton Keynes, bordering Northamptonshire and separated from it by the River Great Ouse...
in Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
), an urn was uncovered which contained three fibulae and two headdresses. It also contained around thirty fragments of silver plaques which were decorated with images of the Roman gods
Roman mythology
Roman mythology is the body of traditional stories pertaining to ancient Rome's legendary origins and religious system, as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans...
Mars
Mars (mythology)
Mars was the Roman god of war and also an agricultural guardian, a combination characteristic of early Rome. He was second in importance only to Jupiter, and he was the most prominent of the military gods worshipped by the Roman legions...
, Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
and Victory
Victoria (mythology)
In ancient Roman religion, Victoria was the personified goddess of victory. She is the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Nike, and was associated with Bellona. She was adapted from the Sabine agricultural goddess Vacuna and had a temple on the Palatine Hill...
. There were also inscriptions to Jupiter
Jupiter (mythology)
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Jupiter or Jove is the king of the gods, and the god of the sky and thunder. He is the equivalent of Zeus in the Greek pantheon....
and Vulcan
Vulcan (mythology)
Vulcan , aka Mulciber, is the god of beneficial and hindering fire, including the fire of volcanoes in ancient Roman religion and Roman Neopaganism. Vulcan is usually depicted with a thunderbolt. He is known as Sethlans in Etruscan mythology...
leading to theories that this was a votive hoard at a Roman temple.
1849 find on Whaddon Chase and the Little Horwood Hoard
Whaddon: 52.000°N 0.828°WLittle Horwood: 51.968°N 0.850°W
In 1849, while ploughing land near Whaddon
Whaddon, Buckinghamshire
For other villages with the same name, see Whaddon.Whaddon is a village and also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district, in Buckinghamshire.The village name is Anglo Saxon in origin, and means 'hill where wheat is grown'...
, farm workers discovered a hoard of Iron Age gold staters. The amount found, depending on reports, varies between 450 to 800 and 2,000, but the lack of precision in quantifying the hoard was because "[t]he discovery attracted many persons to the spot, some of whom contrived to get possession of nearly 100 specimens... About 320 reached the hands of [landowner] Mr Lowndes". It was also poorly recorded in the first instance.
In December 2006, in Little Horwood
Little Horwood
Little Horwood is a village and civil parish in the Aylesbury Vale district of Buckinghamshire, England. The village is about four miles ESE of Buckingham and two miles north east of Winslow....
, three metal detectorists found 73 staters, dated from 60–50 BC, of the type that had come to be known as the Whaddon Chase type. Ian Leins, from the British Museum Department of Coins and Medals, stated in the 2005–06 Treasure Annual Report that the proximity to the Whaddon Chase find spot and the type found made it "likely" that this find "represent[s] part of the original hoard that remained undiscovered in 1849." The 2006 staters were valued at a total of £25,000 and are now in Buckinghamshire County Museum.
The 2006 staters were discovered by Andrew and Edward Clarkson, and Gordon Heritage – coincidentally one of the discoverers of the Monkston Bronze Age gold hoard. In October 2007, the three men found a further two staters in the same area, also deemed to be part of the original 1849 hoard.
The Whaddon Chase hoard remains the largest of its kind, with only the discovery of the Wickham Market Hoard
Wickham Market Hoard
The Wickham Market Hoard is a hoard of 840 Iron Age gold staters found in a field at Dallinghoo near Wickham Market, Suffolk, England in March 2008 by car mechanic, Michael Dark using a metal detector...
in 2008 where 840 gold staters were uncovered in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
coming close thereafter.
1858 coin hoard at Weston Underwood
52.160°N 0.755°WOn New Year's Eve, 1858 near Weston Underwood, Milton Keynes
Weston Underwood, Milton Keynes
Weston Underwood is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Milton Keynes, ceremonial Buckinghamshire, England. It is located about a mile west of Olney....
, an earthenware
Earthenware
Earthenware is a common ceramic material, which is used extensively for pottery tableware and decorative objects.-Types of earthenware:Although body formulations vary between countries and even between individual makers, a generic composition is 25% ball clay, 28% kaolin, 32% quartz, and 15%...
vessel was found in Whites Close. It contained 166 denarii
Denarius
In the Roman currency system, the denarius was a small silver coin first minted in 211 BC. It was the most common coin produced for circulation but was slowly debased until its replacement by the antoninianus...
from the 1st and 2nd century AD, 4 legionary
Roman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
coins, 1 brass coin, an Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
from 42 BC and 4 of Mark Antony
Mark Antony
Marcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar...
from 30 BC. Also found was a complete 2nd century Samian bowl and other pieces of pottery, including many broken sherd
Sherd
In archaeology, a sherd is commonly a historic or prehistoric fragment of pottery, although the term is occasionally used to refer to fragments of stone and glass vessels as well....
s, and even human and horse bones. The Samian bowl now resides at Buckinghamshire County Museum
Buckinghamshire County Museum
The Buckinghamshire County Museum is a museum in the centre of Aylesbury, in Buckinghamshire, England. It displays artefacts pertinent to the history of Buckinghamshire including geological displays, costume, agriculture and industry...
.
1879 Bronze Age hoard at New Bradwell
52.0646°N 0.7978°WIn 1879, at New Bradwell
New Bradwell
New Bradwell is a Victorian era new village, modern district and civil parish that is now part of Milton Keynes , on its northern edge...
near Wolverton, Milton Keynes
Wolverton, Milton Keynes
Wolverton is a constituent town of Milton Keynes . It is at its northern edge, between Stony Stratford and Newport Pagnell...
, a Bronze Age hoard of weapons was found in a "deep cist filled with black earth" where nowadays stands the County Arms Hotel. The hoard comprised nine socketed axe
Axe
The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol...
s, three broken axes, one palstave
Palstave
A Palstave is a type of early bronze axe. It was common in the mid Bronze Age in north, western and south-western Europe. In the technical sense, although precise definitions differ, an axe is generally deemed to be a palstave if it is hafted by means of a forked wooden handle kept in place with...
, two spearhead
Spearhead
A spearhead is the sharpened tip of a spear.Spearhead may also refer to:-Armed conflict:* Armoured spearhead, a tactical formation* Spearhead, nickname of the U.S. 3rd Armored Division in the U.S...
s and a leaf-shaped sword which had broken into four pieces. The collection now resides at Aylesbury Museum
Buckinghamshire County Museum
The Buckinghamshire County Museum is a museum in the centre of Aylesbury, in Buckinghamshire, England. It displays artefacts pertinent to the history of Buckinghamshire including geological displays, costume, agriculture and industry...
.
Little Brickhill excavations 1962–1964
51.996°N 0.7102°WIn July 1962, a Romano-British
Romano-British
Romano-British culture describes the culture that arose in Britain under the Roman Empire following the Roman conquest of AD 43 and the creation of the province of Britannia. It arose as a fusion of the imported Roman culture with that of the indigenous Britons, a people of Celtic language and...
hoard of coins was found in Little Brickhill
Little Brickhill
Little Brickhill is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Milton Keynes and ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire, England. It is just outside and overlooking Milton Keynes itself, two and a half miles west of Woburn in Bedfordshire....
(just south of Milton Keynes), in very close proximity to Watling Street. It consisted of 251 loose coins and an estimated 400 more which were corroded and had become somewhat amalgamated. The coins, dated 360–365, are now in the possession of the Bletchley Archaeological Society.
Two years later, excavation work nearby uncovered a stone and timber building. The building had been destroyed by fire and 4th century pottery was found on a cobbled floor, along with various sherds from the 4th and 11th to 12th centuries, remnants of a 13th century jug, glass and jet
Jet (lignite)
Jet is a geological material and is considered to be a minor gemstone. Jet is not considered a true mineral, but rather a mineraloid as it has an organic origin, being derived from decaying wood under extreme pressure....
beads, and around 43 coins from Tetricus I
Tetricus I
Gaius Pius Esuvius Tetricus was Emperor of the Gallic Empire from 271 to 274, following the murder of Victorinus. Tetricus, who ruled with his son, Tetricus II, was the last of the Gallic emperors following his surrender to the Roman emperor Aurelian.-Reign:Tetricus was a senator born to a noble...
(270–273) to Gratian
Gratian
Gratian was Roman Emperor from 375 to 383.The eldest son of Valentinian I, during his youth Gratian accompanied his father on several campaigns along the Rhine and Danube frontiers. Upon the death of Valentinian in 375, Gratian's brother Valentinian II was declared emperor by his father's soldiers...
(375–383). The excavation also revealed the burial place of at least 44 people.
More coins at Little Brickhill in 1967 and 1987
51.9923°N 0.7001°WOn 20 May 1967, at a site not far from the 1962–1964 Little Brickhill finds, a mechanical digger uncovered a hoard of 296 denarii from the 1st to 2nd century. Hearth
Hearth
In common historic and modern usage, a hearth is a brick- or stone-lined fireplace or oven often used for cooking and/or heating. For centuries, the hearth was considered an integral part of a home, often its central or most important feature...
tools, pottery, and a fragment of whetstone
Sharpening stone
Sharpening stones, water stones or whetstones are used to grind and hone the edges of steel tools and implements. Examples of items that may be sharpened with a sharpening stone include scissors, scythes, knives, razors and tools such as chisels, hand scrapers and plane blades...
were also found. Five of the coins are now at the British Museum and the remainder are at the Buckinghamshire County Museum.
After excavation, more finds included a bronze brooch
Brooch
A brooch ; also known in ancient times as a fibula; is a decorative jewelry item designed to be attached to garments. It is usually made of metal, often silver or gold but sometimes bronze or some other material...
and terret
Terret
A terret is a metal loop on horse harness, guiding the reins and preventing them from becoming tangled or snagged on the harness.The reins run from the hands of the driver, through the terrets, and then attach to the horse's bit to guide the horse...
ring. The wider implications of the excavation were that it was discovered that occupation of the area had passed through five phases from the 1st to 4th century of the Romano-British empire.
627 coins were found in 1987 which were ascertained to be from the same hoard.
1987 Walton hoard
52.0198°N 0.7117°WIn 1987, metal detectorists found 97 bronze coins spanning 307–317 at a Walton, Milton Keynes
Walton, Milton Keynes
Walton was a hamlet that is now a district and civil parish in Milton Keynes, ceremonial Buckinghamshire, England.The historic hamlet is located about four miles south of Central Milton Keynes and just east of Simpson, mostly along Walton Road in the modern Walnut Tree district...
building site. It was speculated that this was not the entire sum of the hoard.
Maps
See also
- History of Milton KeynesHistory of Milton KeynesMilton Keynes is a large town in South East England, founded in 1967. This history of Milton Keynes details its development from the earliest human settlements, through the plans for a 'new city' for 250,000 people in south central England, its subsequent urban design and development, to the...
- List of hoards in Britain
- Wickham Market HoardWickham Market HoardThe Wickham Market Hoard is a hoard of 840 Iron Age gold staters found in a field at Dallinghoo near Wickham Market, Suffolk, England in March 2008 by car mechanic, Michael Dark using a metal detector...