A new angle on the Saxons

Historians are only starting to realise the magnitude of the Staffordshire hoard discovery

The snaking line of more than 1,000 people queuing to enter the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery on Friday afternoon illustrated perfectly the surge of interest sparked by the announcement — just a day before — of the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon treasure ever discovered.

Among those queuing to see the artefacts was Allison Buckley, 47, from Stafford. “It is almost as exciting as queuing to see the treasures of Tutankhamun,” she said, recalling the rush to see the Egyptian boy king’s death mask in London in 1972. “What makes this so exciting is that it has just been unearthed. There is still soil on the pieces and you can imagine it in the ground.”

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The Staffordshire Anglo-Saxon Hoard

You can find links to the Staffordshire Hoard Press Pack and to three images at:

http://archaeology.eu.com/anglo-saxon/staffhoard/

Huge Anglo-Saxon gold hoard found

The UK's largest haul of Anglo-Saxon treasure has been discovered buried beneath a field in Staffordshire.

Experts said the collection of 1,500 gold and silver pieces, which may date back to the 7th Century, was unparalleled in size.

It has been declared treasure by South Staffordshire coroner Andrew Haigh, meaning it belongs to the Crown.

Terry Herbert, who found it on farmland using a metal detector, said it "was what metal detectorists dream of".

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Hoard of Anglo-Saxon treasure

The most significant hoard of Anglo-Saxon treasure ever found will be unveiled at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery on Thursday September 24th at 11.30pm.

A number of artefacts will be available to view with experts on hand to provide analysis.

The hoard has already been labelled 'as significant if not more so' than the world famous Sutton Hoo find (1939)

For more information, please visit www.birminghamnewsroom.com or contact Geoff Coleman on 0121 303 3501 or by email geoffrey.coleman@birmingham.gov.uk

Birmingham City Council Press Office

Kirkleatham Museum to display jewels from Cleveland grave of Anglo-Saxon princess

An "unparalleled" hoard of gold jewellery found next to the body of an Anglo-Saxon princess in a secret Teesside Royal burial field will be revealed to the public with a £275,000 Lottery-funded display.

The precious haul of fine pieces were placed in the grave on a decorated wooden bed in the second half of the seventh century, and are thought to have belonged to members of the Northumbrian royal family.

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Ancient skull unearthed on farm

A metal detecting club has unearthed a 7th Century skull and brooch on farmland in South Oxfordshire.

The Weekend Wanderers Metal Detectors Club were holding a rally on land near West Hanney.

Peter Welch from the club said: "The piece is garnet encrusted with what appears to be gold inlay. It must have belonged to somebody of high status"

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Hundreds of Saxon graves unearthed on new pub site

A perfectly preserved pair of glass drinking cups was found when the grave of an Anglo-Saxon warrior was unearthed during building work on a new pub, Yourswale reports.

The burial place was one of more than 200 uncovered at a site in Sittingbourne, known as The Meads.

Other findings included swords, spears, shields, decorative beads and other jewellery, as well as fragments of clothing.

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