Bredon Hill Hoard
Encyclopedia
The Bredon Hill Hoard is a hoard
of 3,784 debased
silver Roman coins
found by two metal detector
ists on farmland at Bredon Hill
(an Iron Age
hill fort
) in Worcestershire
, England
in June 2011. The coins were found in a clay pot that had been buried around the middle of a 4th century Roman villa
, identified by the subsequent archaeological excavation. The coins include the reigns of sixteen different emperors during the mid to late 3rd century, and are the largest hoard of Roman coins to have been discovered in Worcestershire to date.
on 18 June 2011 on farmland at Bredon Hill, where they had often metal detected in the past, with permission of the farmer who owned the land. After their metal detector indicated a metal object they found a nail, but they kept digging when the metal detector continued to register more metal objects, and they found several sherds of pottery, and then some coins, about 50 cm beneath the surface. Once they realised that there were a large number of coins in the ground they filled in the hole, and on the 20 June they reported the find to Richard Henry, the Portable Antiquities Scheme
Finds Liaison Officer for the Worcestershire and West Midlands region.
, which is unusual as most Roman hoards were buried in the open countryside, away from buildings. The archaeologists uncovered three distinct layers at the find site. The lowest level contained stone foundations for a half-timbered villa, with artefacts and coins dating to the 2nd through late 3rd centuries. The next level contained postholes for a wooden building, and included pottery datable to the 3rd or 4th century, as well as two coins that dated to the late 3rd century. The top level comprised rubble with late 4th or early 5th century pottery. The hoard was buried in a hole dug through the top level. A single coin dating to about 355–361 was found in the soil around the hoard pit, suggesting that the hoard was buried around the mid 4th century, nearly a hundred years later than the date of the latest coins in the pot.
After the coins had been removed and separated from the soil, they were dried. Then on 15 July the coins, which weighed 11 kg, were taken to the British Museum
in London for conservation and identification.
coins, covering the reigns of ten emperors of the central Roman Empire
and the reigns of six emperors of the breakaway Gallic Empire
over a range of 38 years, from 244 to 282. The coins were discovered in a clay pot of Severn Valley ware type, also dating to the 3rd century.
Although all the coins in the hoard are nominally silver coins, and should have about 90% silver content, most of them are severely debased
, containing as little as 1% silver. Some of the coins issued after a reform of the coinage system by Aurelian in 274 are marked with the letters PXXI, and these have a slightly higher silver content, about 5% silver and 95% copper.
The coins were hand struck, and exhibit a number of errors such as mis-striking and double-striking. There are also examples where the coin has been struck using mismatched obverse and reverse dies, or where two blanks have been struck together, resulting in one coin with a blank reverse and a matching coin with a blank obverse.
, which means that they become property of the Crown
. Under the terms of the 1996 Treasure Act
the coins will be officially valued by the Treasure Valuation Committee
, and they may then be purchased by a museum, in which case the purchase price will be shared jointly by the finders and landowner as a reward.
Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum
has indicated that it wants to purchase the hoard, and has started a public appeal to raise the required money. Some of the coins from the hoard have been put on temporary display at the museum from 22 October to 26 November 2011.
Hoard
In archaeology, a hoard is a collection of valuable objects or artifacts, sometimes purposely buried in the ground. This would usually be with the intention of later recovery by the hoarder; hoarders sometimes died before retrieving the hoard, and these surviving hoards may be uncovered by...
of 3,784 debased
Debasement
Debasement is the practice of lowering the value of currency. It is particularly used in connection with commodity money such as gold or silver coins...
silver Roman coins
Roman currency
The Roman currency during most of the Roman Republic and the western half of the Roman Empire consisted of coins including the aureus , the denarius , the sestertius , the dupondius , and the as...
found by two metal detector
Metal detector
A metal detector is a device which responds to metal that may not be readily apparent.The simplest form of a metal detector consists of an oscillator producing an alternating current that passes through a coil producing an alternating magnetic field...
ists on farmland at Bredon Hill
Bredon Hill
Bredon Hill is a hill in Worcestershire, England, south-west of Evesham in the Vale of Evesham. The summit of the hill is in the parish of Kemerton and it extends over parts of eight other parishes...
(an Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
) in Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in June 2011. The coins were found in a clay pot that had been buried around the middle of a 4th century Roman villa
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
, identified by the subsequent archaeological excavation. The coins include the reigns of sixteen different emperors during the mid to late 3rd century, and are the largest hoard of Roman coins to have been discovered in Worcestershire to date.
Discovery
The hoard was discovered by metal detectorists Jethro Carpenter and Mark Gilmour from RedditchRedditch
Redditch is a town and local government district in north-east Worcestershire, England, approximately south of Birmingham. The district had a population of 79,216 in 2005. In the 19th century it became the international centre for the needle and fishing tackle industry...
on 18 June 2011 on farmland at Bredon Hill, where they had often metal detected in the past, with permission of the farmer who owned the land. After their metal detector indicated a metal object they found a nail, but they kept digging when the metal detector continued to register more metal objects, and they found several sherds of pottery, and then some coins, about 50 cm beneath the surface. Once they realised that there were a large number of coins in the ground they filled in the hole, and on the 20 June they reported the find to Richard Henry, the Portable Antiquities Scheme
Portable Antiquities Scheme
The Portable Antiquities Scheme is a voluntary programme run by the United Kingdom government to record the increasing numbers of small finds of archaeological interest found by members of the public...
Finds Liaison Officer for the Worcestershire and West Midlands region.
Excavation
A preliminary survey of the site was carried out by archaeologists on 21 June, and a full excavation of the find site was made at the beginning of July, for a period of two weeks. The excavation showed that the hoard had been deposited in the remains of a villaRoman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
, which is unusual as most Roman hoards were buried in the open countryside, away from buildings. The archaeologists uncovered three distinct layers at the find site. The lowest level contained stone foundations for a half-timbered villa, with artefacts and coins dating to the 2nd through late 3rd centuries. The next level contained postholes for a wooden building, and included pottery datable to the 3rd or 4th century, as well as two coins that dated to the late 3rd century. The top level comprised rubble with late 4th or early 5th century pottery. The hoard was buried in a hole dug through the top level. A single coin dating to about 355–361 was found in the soil around the hoard pit, suggesting that the hoard was buried around the mid 4th century, nearly a hundred years later than the date of the latest coins in the pot.
After the coins had been removed and separated from the soil, they were dried. Then on 15 July the coins, which weighed 11 kg, were taken to the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
in London for conservation and identification.
Items discovered
The hoard comprises 3,874 base silver radiateRadiate (coin)
The radiate or Post-reform radiate , was introduced by Diocletian during his reforms. It looked very similar to an Antoninianus even with a radiated crown like Sol Invictus, except it misses the XXI that numismatists believe was to represent 20 parts bronze to 1 part silver...
coins, covering the reigns of ten emperors of the central Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
and the reigns of six emperors of the breakaway Gallic Empire
Gallic Empire
The Gallic Empire is the modern name for a breakaway realm that existed from 260 to 274. It originated during the Roman Empire's Crisis of the Third Century....
over a range of 38 years, from 244 to 282. The coins were discovered in a clay pot of Severn Valley ware type, also dating to the 3rd century.
| Reign | Date | Number of coins | Empire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philippus II Philippus II Marcus Julius Philippus Severus, also known as Philippus II, Philip II and Philip the Younger was the son and heir of the Roman Emperor Philip the Arab by his wife Roman Empress Marcia Otacilia Severa... |
247–249 | 1 | Central Empire |
| Saloninus Saloninus Publius Licinius Cornelius Saloninus Valerianus was Roman Emperor in 259 or 260.-Early life:Saloninus was born around the year 242. His father was the later emperor Gallienus, his mother Cornelia Salonina, a Greek from Bithynia... |
259 or 260 | 2 | Central Empire |
| Valerian I Valerian (emperor) Valerian , also known as Valerian the Elder, was Roman Emperor from 253 to 260. He was taken captive by Persian king Shapur I after the Battle of Edessa, becoming the only Roman Emperor who was captured as a prisoner of war, resulting in wide-ranging instability across the Empire.-Origins and rise... |
253–260 | 1 | Central Empire |
| Gallienus Gallienus Gallienus was Roman Emperor with his father Valerian from 253 to 260, and alone from 260 to 268. He took control of the Empire at a time when it was undergoing great crisis... |
260–268 | 433 | Central Empire |
| Salonina Cornelia Salonina Julia Cornelia Salonina was an Augusta, wife of Roman Emperor Gallienus and mother of Valerian II, Saloninus, and Marinianus.-Early life:... (wife of Gallienus) |
253–268 | 48 | Central Empire |
| Claudius II | 268–270 | 352 | Central Empire |
| Divus Claudius | 270–271 | 77 | Central Empire |
| Quintillus Quintillus Quintillus , commonly known as Quintillus, was Roman Emperor for less than a year in 270.-Early Life and Election as Emperor:Quintillus was born at Sirmium in Illyricum. Originally coming from a low born family, Quintillus came to prominence with the accession of his brother Claudius II Gothicus to... |
270 | 23 | Central Empire |
| Aurelian Aurelian Aurelian , was Roman Emperor from 270 to 275. During his reign, he defeated the Alamanni after a devastating war. He also defeated the Goths, Vandals, Juthungi, Sarmatians, and Carpi. Aurelian restored the Empire's eastern provinces after his conquest of the Palmyrene Empire in 273. The following... |
270–275 | 17 | Central Empire |
| Tacitus Marcus Claudius Tacitus Tacitus , was Roman Emperor from 275 to 276. During his short reign he campaigned against the Goths and the Heruli, for which he received the title Gothicus Maximus.-Biography:Tacitus was born in Interamna , in Italia... |
275–276 | 15 | Central Empire |
| Florian Florianus -Biography: Florian was reportedly a maternal half-brother to the Emperor Marcus Claudius Tacitus. Appointed Praetorian Prefect in Tacitus's army in his campaign against the Goths, according to the available sources, he was chosen by the army in the West to succeed Tacitus in 276, without the... |
276 | 3 | Central Empire |
| Probus | 276–282 | 36 | Central Empire |
| Postumus Postumus Marcus Cassianius Latinius Postumus was a Roman emperor of Batavian origin. He usurped power from Gallienus in 260 and formed the so-called Gallic Empire... |
260–269 | 67 | Gallic Empire |
| Laelian Laelianus Ulpius Cornelius Laelianus was a usurper against Postumus, the emperor of the Gallic Empire. His revolt lasted from approximately late February to early June 269.-Origins:... |
269 | 7 | Gallic Empire |
| Marius Marcus Aurelius Marius Marcus Aurelius Marius was emperor of the Gallic Empire in 269 following the assassination of Postumus.-Reign:According to later tradition, he was a blacksmith by trade who rose through the ranks of the Roman army to become an officer. He was present with the army that revolted at Moguntiacum... |
269 | 9 | Gallic Empire |
| Victorinus Victorinus Marcus Piavonius Victorinus was emperor of the secessionist Gallic Empire from 269 to 271, following the brief reign of Marius. He was murdered by a jealous husband whose wife he tried to seduce.-Reign:... |
269–271 | 817 | Gallic Empire |
| Divus Victorinus Victorinus Marcus Piavonius Victorinus was emperor of the secessionist Gallic Empire from 269 to 271, following the brief reign of Marius. He was murdered by a jealous husband whose wife he tried to seduce.-Reign:... |
271 | 1 | Gallic Empire |
| Tetricus I Tetricus I Gaius Pius Esuvius Tetricus was Emperor of the Gallic Empire from 271 to 274, following the murder of Victorinus. Tetricus, who ruled with his son, Tetricus II, was the last of the Gallic emperors following his surrender to the Roman emperor Aurelian.-Reign:Tetricus was a senator born to a noble... |
271–274 | 1,159 | Gallic Empire |
| Tetricus II Tetricus II Caius Pius Esuvius Tetricus was the son of Tetricus I, Emperor of the Gallic Empire .... |
272–274 | 485 | Gallic Empire |
| Uncertain | 212 | ||
| Copies | 42 | ||
| Illegible | 67 | ||
Although all the coins in the hoard are nominally silver coins, and should have about 90% silver content, most of them are severely debased
Debasement
Debasement is the practice of lowering the value of currency. It is particularly used in connection with commodity money such as gold or silver coins...
, containing as little as 1% silver. Some of the coins issued after a reform of the coinage system by Aurelian in 274 are marked with the letters PXXI, and these have a slightly higher silver content, about 5% silver and 95% copper.
The coins were hand struck, and exhibit a number of errors such as mis-striking and double-striking. There are also examples where the coin has been struck using mismatched obverse and reverse dies, or where two blanks have been struck together, resulting in one coin with a blank reverse and a matching coin with a blank obverse.
Valuation and display
A coroner's treasure inquest was held on 16 November 2011 to determine the status of the hoard, and the coins were declared treasureTreasure trove
A treasure trove may broadly be defined as an amount of money or coin, gold, silver, plate, or bullion found hidden underground or in places such as cellars or attics, where the treasure seems old enough for it to be presumed that the true owner is dead and the heirs undiscoverable...
, which means that they become property of the Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
. Under the terms of the 1996 Treasure Act
Treasure Act 1996
The Treasure Act of 1996 is an Act of Parliament designed to deal with finds of treasure in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; it does not apply in Scotland. It legally obliges finders of objects which constitute a legally defined term of treasure to report their find to their local coroner...
the coins will be officially valued by the Treasure Valuation Committee
Treasure Valuation Committee
The Treasure Valuation Committee is an independent body based in London, which offers expert advice to the government on items of declared treasure finds in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland that museums may wish to acquire from the Crown...
, and they may then be purchased by a museum, in which case the purchase price will be shared jointly by the finders and landowner as a reward.
Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum
Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum
The Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum is an art gallery and local museum in Worcester, the county town of Worcestershire, England.The museum was originally founded in 1833 by members of the Worcestershire Natural History Society. It is located in a Victorian building in central Worcester, which...
has indicated that it wants to purchase the hoard, and has started a public appeal to raise the required money. Some of the coins from the hoard have been put on temporary display at the museum from 22 October to 26 November 2011.