Study Notes on The Staffordshire Hoard

The Staffordshire Hoard

Overview

• Authors: Kevin Leahy and Roger Bland.

• Publisher: The British Museum Press.

• Fundraising: £1 from each sale contributes to the Staffordshire Hoard appeal fund for conservation and research. Donations can also be made online.

• ISBN: 978-0-7141-2328-8.

• This book includes extracts from Beowulf by Seamus Heaney, emphasizing its cultural significance.

Contents

• Acknowledgements

• The story of the find

• Anglo-Saxon England

• The hoard

• Summary of the hoard

• The Treasure Act and Portable Antiquities Scheme

• The next steps

• Further reading

• Picture credits

Acknowledgements

• Key Contributors:

  • Terry Herbert for discovering the hoard and assisting with excavations.

  • Fred Johnson (landowner) for permission for excavations.

  • Duncan Slarke (Finds Liaison Officer) for coordinating initial response.

  • Staffordshire County Council team under supervision for archaeological investigation with Birmingham Archaeology.

  • Financial support from English Heritage.

  • Support from the coroner for South Staffordshire, Mr. Andrew Haigh.

  • Communication teams for the announcement of the find.

  • Various curatorial and conservation staff from involved museums and institutions.

  • Scholars providing insight on finds prior to the inquest.

  • British Museum Press team for editorial support.

The Story of the Find

• Date of Discovery: July 5, 2009.

• Location: Ogley Hay, near Lichfield, Staffordshire.

• Discoverer: Terry Herbert, armed with a metal detector.

• Initial discovery of 244 bags within five days, later reported to Duncan Slarke, Finds Liaison Officer for PAS.

• Herbert had a long history of responsible detecting and reporting finds.

• Quick action was necessary to recover items archaeologically due to vulnerability of the site, resulting in a commission for excavation by Birmingham Archaeology.

• Excavation Result: Total recovery of 1662 objects from a 9 x 13 meter area.

  • No evidence of a container for the hoard.

  • Analyses confirmed the hoard was intact, with objects deposited perhaps between 650 and 700 AD based on applicable dating techniques.

Importance of the Hoard

• Unique as it represents a hoard of gold and silver rather than grave goods found in burials like Sutton Hoo.

• Total mass of hoard:

  • Gold: 5.094 kg

  • Silver: 1.442 kg.

• Composition: Mainly war-gear including sword fittings, helmet fragments, and decorative items.

• Contains three Christian crosses indicating some connectivity to early Christianity alongside prevalent pagan practices.

Anglo-Saxon England

• Context: Heartland of Mercia, a militarily aggressive kingdom during the 7th and 8th centuries under kings like Penda, Wulfhere, and Aethelred.

• Cultural Practices: Post-Roman Britain with changing burial and societal structures; distinct styles of decoration prevalent.

• Conversion to Christianity began with St. Augustine in 597 AD, changing religious landscapes with residual pagan traditions.

• The hoard sheds light on socio-political dynamics, regional identities, and the transition from paganism to Christianity.

Key Dates in Anglo-Saxon History

• 410 AD: End of Roman Britain.

• 450 AD: Arrival of Anglo-Saxons.

• 597 AD: St. Augustine's mission to England.

• c. 650-700 AD: Likely date for hoard burial.

• Various battles highlighting conflicts between kingdoms (Mercia, Northumbria, East Anglia).

• 796 AD: Death of Offa, a pivotal Mercian king.

The Hoard

• Description of notable items including:

  • Sword fittings: 92 pommel caps, 73 hilt collars with rich decorative motifs.

  • Helmet fragments: Evidence implies the existence of highly ornate helmets, likely from burial items.

  • Christian items: Three crosses and a gold strip inscribed with a biblical verse from the Vulgate.

  • Other unspecified fragments and items implying artistic craftsmanship and ritual importance.

The Treasure Act and Portable Antiquities Scheme

• Detectorism is legal provided landowner permission is obtained.

• Treasure Act 1996: Defines Treasure and governs treasure reporting procedures, outlines valuations, and subsequent distribution of rewards.

• The PAS encourages voluntary reporting of all finds, aiming to educate the public about archaeology. In 2010, recorded 90,029 objects and 859 Treasure cases.

Future Steps

• Joint bid by Birmingham Museums and the Potteries Museum resulted in the hoard's acquisition.

• Fundraising efforts networked by various organizations raised £3,285,000 to secure the hoard, reflecting its cultural significance.

• Future conservation, analysis, and public display is expected, involving scholars and museum experts. Progress updates are provided online.

Further Reading

• Suggested literature covering Anglo-Saxon history, archaeology, and the implications of the Staffordshire Hoard find:

  • Arnold, C.J. An Archaeology of the Early Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms.

  • Blair, J. The Anglo-Saxon Age: A Very Short Introduction.

  • Stenton, F.M. Anglo-Saxon England.

• Online resources for additional discoveries and updates related to the hoard.

Picture Credits

• Acknowledges contributions of various institutions and individuals for illustrations and photographic documentation throughout the publication.

1. Detailed Overview and Context

• Production and Mission: The documentation of the hoard was authored by experts Kevin Leahy and Roger Bland and published by the British Museum Press. A significant aspect of this publication is its charitable component: $£1$ from every copy sold is donated directly to the Staffordshire Hoard appeal fund. This fund is vital for the ongoing conservation, scientific analysis, and research required to understand the collection.

• Cultural Significance: The inclusion of extracts from Seamus Heaney’s translation of Beowulf serves to contextualize the find. The hoard's focus on elite martial equipment reflects the heroic age and the Germanic warrior ethos described in the epic, where status was displayed through ornate weaponry and gift-giving.

2. The Narrative of the Discovery

• Primary Discovery: On July 5, 2009, Terry Herbert, using a metal detector, discovered the first items in a field at Ogley Hay, near Lichfield, Staffordshire. The site is historically significant as it sits near Watling Street, a major Roman thoroughfare that remained in use during the Anglo-Saxon period.

• Initial Recovery: Within a five-day period, Herbert recovered 244 bags of material. He demonstrated professional responsibility by reporting the find to Duncan Slarke, the Finds Liaison Officer (FLO) for the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS).

• Scientific Excavation: Fearing the site might be looted or damaged, a rapid archaeological response was commissioned. Birmingham Archaeology excavated an area approximately $9 \times 13\text{ meters}$.

• The Total Count: A final quantification revealed 1662 individual objects (often cited as over 3500 items when accounting for small fragments).

  • Deposition Conditions: No evidence of a chest or container was found; it is theorized the items were buried in a leather or cloth bag that decayed over time.

  • Dating: Stylistic analysis of the goldwork and garnets suggests the hoard was buried between 650 and 700 AD, a time of extreme political instability in the English Midlands.

3. Composition and Craftsmanship of the Hoard

• Weight of Precious Metals:

  • Gold: $5.094\text{ kg}$.

  • Silver: $1.442\text{ kg}$.

• Gemstones and Decoration: The hoard is famous for its intensive use of cloisonn garnets. Thousands of precisely cut garnets were set into gold cells, often over patterned gold foil to enhance their brilliance. These garnets likely originated from India or Sri Lanka, indicating active trade networks.

• Martial Exclusive Nature: Uniquely, the hoard consists almost exclusively of war-gear. There are no feminine adornments (like brooches) or domestic items (like spoons or bowls), which are common in burial sites like Sutton Hoo. This suggests the hoard was a collection of trophies stripped from the weapons of defeated enemies.

4. Deep Dive into Key Artifacts

• Sword Fittings: The hoard contains 92 pommel caps and 73 hilt collars.

  • These were the most ornate parts of a sword, used to display the rank and wealth of a warrior ($thegn$ or $gesith$).

  • Many items show evidence of being forcefully removed from the weapon blades, which were not included in the burial.

• The Helmet fragments: The collection includes silver and gold fragments of at least one highly prestigious helmet. These include the ‘crests’ and cheek-pieces. Only a handful of Anglo-Saxon helmets have ever been found, making these fragments historically priceless.

• Christian and Ritual Items:

  • The Biblical Gold Strip: A strip of gold inscribed on both sides with a verse from Numbers 10:35: "$Surge Domine et dissipentur inimici tui et fugiant qui oderunt te a facie tua$" ("Rise up, Lord, and may your enemies be scattered…").

  • Three Crosses: One large cross was found folded, possibly to symbolize the "killing" of the object before its burial, or simply for easy transport.

5. Historical Context: The Kingdom of Mercia

• Political Landscape: The hoard was found in the heartland of Mercia, which in the 7th century was a militarily aggressive kingdom. Kings like Penda (r. 626–655), Wulfhere, and Aethelred were involved in frequent wars with Northumbria and East Anglia.

• Religious Transition: The dates of the hoard correspond with the conversion period. While the objects feature traditional Germanic "Style II" animal art (intertwined beasts), the presence of crosses indicates the burgeoning influence of Christianity following St. Augustine's mission in 597 AD.

6. Legal and Financial Outcome

• The Treasure Act 1996: Because the items were more than $10\%$ precious metal and over 300 years old, they were legally declared "Treasure."

• The Valuation: The Treasure Valuation Committee assessed the hoard's market value at $£3,285,000$.

• Acquisition and Display: This sum was raised through