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The ‘Staffordshire Hoard’: the Fieldwork

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

Stephen Dean ,
Della Hooke  and
Alex Jones
Stephen Dean*
Affiliation:
Stephen Dean, Environment and Countryside Unit, Development Services Directorate, Staffordshire County Council, Riverway, Stafford ST16 3TJ, UK. E-mail: stephen.dean@staffordshire.gov.uk
Della Hooke*
Affiliation:
Della Hooke, Institute of Advanced Research in Arts and Social Sciences, University of Birmingham, 91 Oakfield Road, Selly Park, Birmingham B29 7HL, UK. E-mail: d.hooke.1@bham.ac.uk
Alex Jones*
Affiliation:
Alex Jones, Birmingham Archaeology, Institute of Archaeology and Antiquity, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK. E-mail: a.e.jones.anh@bham.ac.uk
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Abstract

The Staffordshire Hoard was found by a metal detectorist on arable land in the parish of Ogley Hay in south Staffordshire in July 2009, and was recovered by archaeologists from Staffordshire County Council and Birmingham Archaeology. More than 3,940 pieces were retrieved, mostly of gold or silver alloy and mostly representing what appear to be martial battle goods. The date of the material has yet to be ascertained but the artefacts appear to range from the late sixth to the early eighth centuries AD. The reasons for burial remain, as yet, largely unknown. The choice of location, on the north-western spur of a prominent ridge, could have been intended to facilitate its rediscovery, unless the locale held a symbolic significance within the wider landscape. The second stage of fieldwork, in March 2010, identified a number of undated field boundaries and undated palisade trenches perhaps associated with a small farmstead of pre- or post-Roman date, unlikely to be associated with the hoard.

Résumé

Le soi-disant Trésor du Staffordshire fut découvert par un détecteur de métaux sur des terres arables dans la paroisse de Ogley Hay, au sud du Staffordhire, en juillet 2009, et fut récupéré par des archéologues du conseil régional du Staffordshire et de Birmingham Archaeology. Plus de 3,940 objets ont été récupérés, pour la plupart en alliage d’or ou d’argent. La date du matériel reste encore à établir mais les objets fabriqués semblent dater du milieu du sixième siècle au début du huitième siècle. A l’heure actuelle, les motifs de l’enterrement et du choix de l’emplacement restent largement inconnus. Cette courte communication offre un aperçu des circonstances de la découverte et de la récupération du trésor et donne un résumé de son contexte archéologique.

Zusammenfassung

Der sogennante ‘Schatzfund von Staffordshire’ wurde mit Hilfe eines Metalledetektors auf Ackerland in der Gemeinde von Ogley Hay in Südstaffordshire im Juli 2009 gefunden, und von Archäologen des Staffordshire County Council und Birmingham Archaeology ausgegraben. Es wurden über 3,940 Objekte geborgen, die meisten aus Gold oder Silberlegierung. Das Datum der Herkunft dieser Funde wird noch untersucht, aber erste Befunde weisen auf einen Zeitraum von der Mitte des sechsten bis ins frühe achte Jahrhundert hin. Die Gründe der Einlagerung oder die Auswahl des Begräbnisortes sind bis jetzt unklar. Diese kurze Abhandlung beschreibt die Umstände der Entdeckung und Bergung des Hortfundes und fasst den archäologischen Kontext zusammen.

Type
Articles
Information
The Antiquaries Journal , Volume 90 , September 2010 , pp. 139 - 152
Copyright
Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 2010

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