In Suffolk, UK the remnants of a 2000 year old Roman hoard have been found. A remarkable find of Roman pewter plates, platters, bowls, and a cup was made. They were properly packed and buried in a trench, indicating that they were buried together, maybe as a group for safekeeping or as a sacrifice.
During an East of England Rally, an organized detecting event, local metal detector user Martin White found the Roman hoard in the fall of 2022. They are currently on exhibit until January 2024 in the West Stow Anglo-Saxon hamlet and Museum, close to Bury St Edmunds.
Mr White said: “I’ve been detecting for about 10 years, and this is the most high profile find I’ve made so far, it was very exciting! We quickly consulted with the Archaeological Service so that the items could be removed and recorded, without being damaged. It was a privilege to be involved in the whole process, from discovery to excavation to seeing the finds go on display.”
According to the news of SuffolkNews, the excavation of the treasure was made possible by the Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service and was completed by Wardell Armstrong and conservators from the Norfolk Museum Service. The conservators from the Norfolk Museum Service then preserved it. The Euston Estate and East of England Rallies sponsored the entire project.
Faye Minter who is the archaeological archives and projects manager of Suffolk County Council said that: “This is a significant discovery. The larger plates and platters were used to allow food to be served communally and the octagonal bowls may have a Christian reference. Similar hoards are found across southern Britain, including from the nearby large Roman settlements at Icklingham and Hockwold.”
Councillor Melanie Vigo di Gallidoro, Suffolk County Council’s deputy cabinet member for protected landscapes and archaeology, said that: “It is amazing to think that this fragile hoard has survived thousands of years, and being discovered by Martin, that adds to the Suffolk story. This is a fantastic example of teamwork, with many organisations coming together to help preserve Suffolk’s history, all made possible by the generous support of the Euston Estate, East of England Rallies and, of course, Martin.”