The Staffordshire Hoard

A hoard was found a decade ago in the village of Hammerwich in Staffordshire. It is the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalwork ever found.

3,500 pieces were excavated. One item is a silver gilt strip bearing a Biblical inscription in Latin – the only inscribed item in the haul. It reads: ‘Surge domine et disepentur inimici tui et fugent qui oderunt te a facie tua’ – 'rise up, o Lord, and may thy enemies be scattered and those who hate thee be driven from thy face’

The hoard consists of up to 5.094 kg (11.23 lb) of gold and 1.442 kg (3.18 lb) of silver. 66 gold sword hilt collars and many gold hilt plates were found, some with inlays. It's thought the hoard were items seized in battle ca 600 AD and buried for later recovery. The hoard was purchased jointly by the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery for £3.285m under the Treasure Act.