Monday, 2 May 2022

Buried treasures in Wales

Buried treasure has been unearthed at sites all over Wales in recent years. Fifteen finds of gold, silver and ancient tools posted on website Portable Antiquities have been deemed so important they were judged to be of national importance and placed in museums. One gold and 14 silver coins from the reigns of Edward III, Henry VI and other periods were found in Bronington, Wrexham, in December 2013. The group as a whole was lost or deposited after 1465.

These silver ingots were found in Llandwrog, Gwynedd
Silver ingots found in Llandwrog, Gwynedd weighed 115g. Nicks on the sides were evidence that they had been used in commercial transactions before burial.

A copper alloy axe was discovered in Llancarfan, in the Vale of Glamorgan, in December 2013. It is of a kind known as the “Croxton type.”
A 3cm long piece of metal is polished unevenly and dates from the first half of the 17th century. It was found in Llanasa, Flintshire, in March 2013, and appears to show a female saint.

Silver bodkin. A bent silver dress pin is hallmarked with a letter ‘W’ and dates from the 17th century.

Oval silver brooch made from silver alloy and decorated with a substance called niello. Similar jewellery has been found throughout Wales.