Dark Ages Treasure Hoard Found

[ulmont]

I once found an arrowhead. It was rock shaped, but inside was a POTENTIAL arrowhead.

I might have found an arrow head once. Shaped like one, seemed to have had some grooves where maybe it had been worked into shape. Couldn't really tell for sure though, and no idea where it is now.

There have been a large number of arrowheads (all the way back to Clovis points) found in the fields behind my parents' house; I don't know how many I've found over the years, but probably triple-digits.

[Brazen]

We were discussing this story at work. Hating the phrase "metal detectorists" we decided to rename them "metal spotters" as they are just trainspotters with gadgets.

[Malthus]

I saw this. Is there a list yet of what they have found?

The second link I posted has a full list, but it is annoyingly tempermental - it isn't working for me now.

[Ed Anger]

We were discussing this story at work. Hating the phrase "metal detectorists" we decided to rename them "metal spotters" as they are just trainspotters with gadgets.

I want to be that old guy in his 60's roaming through the the park with a metal detector, wearing plaid shorts, black socks and sandals.

[KRonn]

I once found an arrowhead. It was rock shaped, but inside was a POTENTIAL arrowhead.

I might have found an arrow head once. Shaped like one, seemed to have had some grooves where maybe it had been worked into shape. Couldn't really tell for sure though, and no idea where it is now.

There have been a large number of arrowheads (all the way back to Clovis points) found in the fields behind my parents' house; I don't know how many I've found over the years, but probably triple-digits.

Interesting, good stuff. So that must be a site that was in use over a long period of time, to go back so far. Eastern, Southern and Mid-Western Native Americans had permanent towns and villages, so all kinds of artifacts should be found. As opposed to the western tribes which were more nomadic and followed game herds, buffalo, etc.

[saskganesh]

I saw this. Is there a list yet of what they have found?

The second link I posted has a full list, but it is annoyingly tempermental - it isn't working for me now.

I downloaded the zip list. over 100 gold fragments/plates from swords.

[Malthus]

I saw this. Is there a list yet of what they have found?

The second link I posted has a full list, but it is annoyingly tempermental - it isn't working for me now.

I downloaded the zip list. over 100 gold fragments/plates from swords.

Heh. Just like a peaceful bank vault or safety deposit box, eh Minsky?   

[Sheilbh]

Very interesting

[Ed Anger]

I saw this. Is there a list yet of what they have found?

The second link I posted has a full list, but it is annoyingly tempermental - it isn't working for me now.

I downloaded the zip list. over 100 gold fragments/plates from swords.

No +5 holy avengers. 

[Malthus]

No +5 holy avengers. 

How would anyone know? 

[The Minsky Moment]

Heh. Just like a peaceful bank vault or safety deposit box, eh Minsky?   

They are decorative elements. 

Apparently the hoard is from the heart of the Kingdom of Merica, dating to a time of relative stablility.

The only conclusion that can firmly drawn from the find as this point is to confirm that Anglo-Saxon craftsmanship was as of high quality as previous finds have suggsted.

[Malthus]

Heh. Just like a peaceful bank vault or safety deposit box, eh Minsky?   

They are decorative elements. 

Apparently the hoard is from the heart of the Kingdom of Merica, dating to a time of relative stablility.

The only conclusion that can firmly drawn from the find as this point is to confirm that Anglo-Saxon craftsmanship was as of high quality as previous finds have suggsted.

The key word here is "relative". 

Agree that nothing so far can be definitively stated. However, it seems a reasonable supposition that people somehow forgetting where they put 6 kg of gold, largely consisting of decorative bits ripped off of swords, indicates a - certain lifestyle, which would not inaccurately be termed "dark ages". 

[MadImmortalMan]

The local denizens find and pillage buried metal hordes around Rochester all the time.

One Joseph Smith, for example. Maybe he should start checking the hills south of Henrietta for gold plates.

[saskganesh]

The commentary notes that there is a distinct lack of "feminine" artifacts, brooches, jewellery, the lot. this seems to indicate it's some warlord's horde.

anyhow, Mercia is not far from Wales, if one is looking for regular fighting/looting.

[The Minsky Moment]

The key word here is "relative".   

To put it concretely, late 7th century/early 8th century Mercia was probably considerable more stable than Europe in the first half of the 20th century.   

However, it seems a reasonable supposition that people somehow forgetting where they put 6 kg of gold, largely consisting of decorative bits ripped off of swords, indicates a - certain lifestyle, which would not inaccurately be termed "dark ages".

There are a lot of suppositions buried in there - and not all of them are reasonable.
We appear to be dealing with someone who was not a king or ruler and yet has what even by modern standards has very impressive wealth.  And not just raw gold, but beautifully crafted items.  This the reasonable supposition is that we are looking at a society which is probably enjoying some signigificant level of material prosperity, and which is capable of sustaining a sufficiently complex economy and social structure to allow for the activity of a signigicant number of highly skilled and artistically talented craftsmen and artisans.

Beyond that, I one might advance such tentative suppositions as: the owner may have been a high-status war leader and the items the accumulated trophies of victory over a successful military career.  Such a career would hardly be unique to this time and place and history.