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The Finds

The treasure hoard included a large number of small artefacts including clothing items, jewellery and many other objects.

Click on the thumbnail images below to see a larger image.

	Tankard handle, early – mid 1st century AD. This is half of a bronze handle from an Iron Age tankard that was found outside the shrine. It is decorated in a typically Iron Age style with flowing lines and small dots. (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Fragments of bronze sheet, early – mid 1st century AD. These fragments are thought to be part of an Iron Age tankard. It would have been made from wooden staves reinforced with bronze fittings like these, held on by metal rivets. (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Sceptre This bronze tube is thought to be part of a sceptre, possibly used in religious rituals by an Iron Age priest. The metal tube decorated a wooden shaft, traces of which remain inside. (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Terminal. This bronze terminal with an iron core may be part of the sceptre. Did an Iron Age priest use this object when conducting ceremonies at the shrine? (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Bowl, early 1st century AD. This beautiful silver bowl is a unique item from Iron Age Britain. It was found buried carefully on its side with other silver objects in the ditch in what is thought to have been a ritual deposit. (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Triangular ingot, early 1st century AD. This silver ingot’s triangular shape indicates it was cast in a typical Iron Age crucible. The remains of two coins protrude from the surface. The weight of this ingot suggests it could contain over 1200 silver units! (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Semi-circular ingot, early 1st century AD. This silver ingot has been cast into an unusual crescent shape. The protruding ‘knob’ at the top is a casting sprue, the remains of where the molten metal was poured into the mould. (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Mount, early 1st century AD. This silver mount with gold decoration would have been attached to another object via the holes around the edge. Some of the holes were added after part of the edge was damaged so that it could still be used. This re-use suggests the mount was somebody’s treasured possession. (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Glass discs and gold foil, early-mid 1st century AD. Were these blue and white glass discs the eyes of a statue worshipped at the shrine? They were found in an area of stained soil with tiny pieces of gold foil implying the presence of a wooden statue decorated with gold. (Click on the images to view a larger versions)
	Sword chape, mid- late 1st century AD. This is a bronze chape which would have fitted at the end of a leather sword scabbard or holder. The circular recess would have originally held a piece of enamel. (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Shield clip, 1st century AD. This bronze clip would have held the leather stretched tight over the wooden frame of a shield. (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Gold clasp, 3rd century AD. This is the gold clasp from a Roman necklace or bracelet. It was found buried outside the shrine with other objects and shows that the site continued to be the focus of ritual activity for hundreds of years. (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Lamp, 1st century AD. One of a pair of bronze wings from the back of a Roman lamp. (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Snake’s head bracelet, 1st – 3rd century AD. This is part of a bronze bracelet shaped like a snake’s head. Jewellery decorated with snakes was popular in Britain from the 1st – 3rd century AD. (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Cable armlet, 4th century AD. Hallaton continued to be a special place for local people into the 4th century AD as shown by the ritual burial of this bronze armlet with a group of Roman coins. (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	La Téne III brooch, 1st century BC – 1st century AD. The pin and spring from a simple type of bronze brooch. (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Birdlip brooch, mid 1st century AD. This brooch is made of silver with gold decoration. (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Dolphin brooch, mid 1st century AD. This type of brooch is known as a ‘Dolphin’ due to the shape of the head. (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Colchester Derivative brooch, late 1st – early 2nd century AD. This type of brooch usually has a hinged pin but here it has been replaced with a more simple sprung pin. This allowed the brooch to continue to be used after the first spring was damaged. (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Hinge-headed Enamelled brooch, late 1st – 2nd century AD. This bronze brooch was originally decorated with enamel. (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Brooch spring. This bronze spring has been stretched by force. In Iron Age and Early Roman Britain, objects were sometimes deliberately broken or ‘ritually killed’ before they were buried. Was this to discourage people from digging them up or was it a symbolic act? (Click on the image to view a larger version)
	Bronze Age spearhead, around 1500-1250 BC. This spearhead dates from the Middle Bronze Age and implies a long period of activity at the site. It is possible that this fragment was dug up during the Roman period and re-deposited as an antique object. (Click on the image to view a larger version)

Contact Harborough Museum
Address: Harborough Museum. Council Offices, Adam & Eve Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire. LE16 7AG
Find us on the first floor of the council offices, the Museum entrance is in Fox Yard. Location Map
Telephone: 01858 821 085. Email: HarboroughMuseum@leics.gov.uk
Open: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10:30am - 4pm
Closed: Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Bank Holidays
See our Opening Hours Page

Page Last Updated: 1 February 2012