Portable Antiquities & Treasure

Vanessa Oakden, curator @liverpoolmuseums.bsky.social (and former FLO!) takes us through the extensive planning for the Treasure: History Unearthed exhibition #PASConference2025

The Headley Trust intern for Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire Alex Mapp presenting her work and exhibition - sharing finders' stories #PASConference2025 @liverpoolmuseums.bsky.social

Dave Edwards of the North West Museums group of NCMD presenting the Treasures Unearthed exhibition at Chester Cathedral #PASConference2025 @liverpoolmuseums.bsky.social

National Finds Adviser John Naylor on his research into Late Iron Age to early Early Medieval occupation of a site into the Berkshire Downs. #PASConference2025 @liverpoolmuseums.bsky.social

Ben Westwood, Durham FLO -using experimental archaeology to work out the effort required to deface an Elizabethan sixpence (investigation into recusancy). Conclusion: a lot - it's an intentional act. #PASConference2025 @liverpoolmuseums.bsky.social

Caroline Smith, FLA for Durham and North East, talking about recusancy in the North East and highlighting this homemade silver pyx lid #PASConference2025 @liverpoolmuseums.bsky.social

FLO Kurt Adams and finder Glen Manning take us through the story of the Willersley Roman Swords, now thankfully on display @coriniummuseum.bsky.social . #PASConference2025 @liverpoolmuseums.bsky.social

Here today at Castle Cary Market House spreading the word about The Portable Antiquities Scheme 😁 @findsorguk.bsky.social

This was fun to see! @boyleg.bsky.social @tessmachling.bsky.social

Romano-British gold pendant/earring found near Radwinter, Essex

This intriguing little gold pendant from Romano-British times is going to Saffron Walden Museum thanks to the generosity of the finder and landowner, who waived a claim to a reward under the Treasure Act. Thank you! finds.org.uk/database/art...

Latest April news from @findsorguk.bsky.social !
#Archaeology #Heritage #History #MetalDetecting #Treasure

A heap of radiates struck for Tetricus I (AD 271-274) at Trier, Germany. From the massive Frome hoard of c 54,000 other third century coins, now in the final stages of being sorted at the British Museum. @findsorguk.bsky.social #FindsFriday #RomanBritain

Post-Medieval silver vervel

Thank you to Ian Bissett, the finder of this silver vervel, and to the landowner, for waiving a claim to a Treasure reward and allowing it to go to Museum it the Park (Stroud) at no expense. Found near Darlington, it's linked it to Robert Partridge of Syde Manor (Glos) finds.org.uk/database/art...

A fragment of a Medieval silver coin, folded in half.

Thank you to the finder, Garry Wright, and the landowner for donating this folded silver coin - possibly a Venetian soldino - to @northlincsmuseum.bsky.social ! finds.org.uk/database/art...

Lisbon Archaeological Museum, part of the early 16th Jeronimo Monastery, is a stunning location for @tostig1066.bsky.social to give a paper, at the @postmedarch.bsky.social Congress 2025. Excellent, engaging speakers, and quite a spread for the coffee break, too!

The @londonmuseum.bsky.social new exhibition #SecretsoftheThames is a fantastic revelation of the 'hidden' world on the banks of the river running through one of the world's great cities. Congratulations to Kate, Stuart & colleagues, and all the mudlarks for sharing your finds!

More information available on the PAS database here: finds.org.uk/database/art... Of course, this is a massive assemblage, so this is just a summary

Iron age hoard found in North Yorkshire could change Britain’s history More than 800 objects unearthed near Melsonby show the north was ‘definitely not a backwater’ 2,000 years ago

Good luck to @yorkmuseumstrust.bsky.social in their fundraising for this amazing Treasure find www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

Welcoming some spring weather at The British Museum!

A nice donation by the finder and landowner to Mersea Island Museum (Essex)of this silver Medieval/PM pendant finds.org.uk/database/art... Thank you!

Yes, sorry for the typo!

Hello!

And of course, I should have said 'AethelSTAN' (not Aethelred), apologies!

A Bronze Age gold-worker’s hoard discovered near Urchfont, Wiltshire (WILT-C97E23). Wiltshire Museum hopes to acquire the hoard. The finder stopped digging when he realised what he had found, allowing archaeologists to block life the hoard and bring it to the British Museum for micro-excavation.

A coin of Aethelred II (Viking leader Guthrum) of East Anglia, found near Thetford, Norfolk (PAS-D68238). The first silver coin minted by a Scandinavian ruler in Britain, this is first item declared Treasure under the new ‘significance-based’ definition. Hopefully Norwich Castle Museum will acquire.

An early post-medieval gold ‘phoenix’ signet ring found in Central Bedfordshire (BH-AC29D6) which either Bedford Museum or Historic Royal Palaces hope to acquire. The phoenix was associated with Elizabeth I and this may have been worn (and lost!) by one of her supporters.

The event allowed for the showcasing of several interesting new finds: An Anglo-Saxon gold and garnet necklace from Donington on Bain, Lincolnshire (LIN-1DABA5), which Lincoln Museum hopes acquire. The jewellery would've been worn by, and buried with, a woman of high-status in the 7th century.

Today saw the launch of the Portable Antiquities Scheme (2023) and Treasure (2022) annual reports at the British Museum, highlighting record levels of finds submitted for voluntary recording to the PAS (over 70,000) and those reported (1,358) in 2023. Available here: finds.org.uk/publications