Arts Minister Unveils Bronze Age and Roman Treasure

Submitted by vicky on Thursday, 18 December 2003 Page Views: 1538

A remarkable Bronze Age hoard found in Kent - the first of its kind to be reported as Treasure - is one of many previously unrecorded archaeological discoveries featured in this year's Portable Antiquities Annual Report to be launched by Estelle Morris, Minister of State for the Arts, at Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries on 18 December 2003.

Estelle Morris says 'the excavation of the Hollingbourne hoard - a Bronze Age weapons cache recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme and subsequently excavated archaeologically - is a prime example of involving local people in archaeology and highlighting the educational value of the Portable Antiquities Scheme'. The initial find, discovered by David Button whilst using a metal detector, was reported to Andrew Richardson (Kent Finds Liaison Officer), who organised an excavation on the site. This involved officers from Kent County Council's Heritage Conservation Team together with a cross-section of local people interested in archaeology and subsequently an in-situ Bronze Age hoard was discovered. The find has been brought to life by the Portable Antiquities Scheme when educating school children and others about the importance of finds recording and the value of the Scheme.

Mark Wood, Chair of Resource, which helps manage the Scheme, said 'besides the Hollingbourne hoard more than 49,500 other finds have been recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme in the period of this report: many of which would otherwise not have been recorded. All the finds recorded by the Scheme are published on our online database - www.finds.org.uk - which is an amazing resource for educators, researchers and anyone with an interest in the past'.

Roger Bland, Head of Portable Antiquities, said 'the Portable Antiquities Scheme provides the only proactive mechanism to record systematically archaeological finds found by the public and make that data publicly available. Now - thanks the Heritage Lottery Fund - that we have Finds Liaison Officers in every part of England and Wales and the Scheme also provides a comprehensive service for finders, so they know that by recording their finds with us they will be investing in our understanding of the past'.

The Bronze Age hoard from Hollingbourne, Kent, and other discoveries mentioned in the Portable Antiquities Annual Report 2001-3 will be unveiled during a press conference this afternoon. There will be a photo-shoot featuring the Arts Minister and the archaeological finds including a magnificent Roman 'leopard' cup from Abergavenny, found by Gary Mapps, which is one of the highest quality Roman vessels to have been found in Wales and one of the most fabulous finds recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme. The vessel is of high quality craftsmanship and the decorative handle depicts a leopard, with its head leaning over the rim of the vessel. The handle has been finely cast and silver inlay represents the leopard's spots are represented by silver inlay. The cup, probably of first century AD date, was almost certainly imported from Italy.

For more information on The Portable Antiquities Scheme see www.finds.org.uk.

Source: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries 18/12/2003

Contributor Bio for vicky: Ex Megalithic Portal Editor, Co-author of 'Rock Around the Peak - Megalithic Monuments of the Peak District' and... More

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