Almost Too Many Finds

When we lived up North the local archaeologist and Finds Liaison Officer or FLO allowed me to record my metal detecting finds on the Government's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) database. However, down here in Suffolk they have a different policy and the archaeologists like to make all the recordings themselves. I can understand their reasoning - amateurs like me have a tendency to get things wrong sometimes - but at the same time, after getting out in the fields for a few more hours this week they are going to have their work cut out to record this lot when I take it into Bury St Edmunds.

These were the one hundred and seventy bits of metal I tipped out of  the bag after the last two outings. Most of it was rubbish but there were also some really interesting finds. Photos follow.

An Edward III penny of the "Florin" type from around 1343

A Henry VI annulet issue groat minted in Calais c 1422- 1427 Sadly badly cracked by the plough.

A Henry III silver penny minted in Newcastle c1248-1250

A Medieval cut quarter penny. Virtually impossible to identify. I also found two Elizabethan pennies.

Coins were just a few of the finds. Here are some of the artefacts that turned up.

This button from around 1800 doesn't look much but the inscription is for Framlingham Loyal Volunteers. Here's what I found out about them.

And here are some more interesting bits and pieces.

A Tudor/Stuart Period Clothes Fastener

A Medieval Buckle

A Medieval Buckle Plate

A Late Medieval/ Post Medieval Thimble

A Medieval Buckle Fragment 

18/19th C Clog Clasp

A Lead Loom Or Spindle Weight

Small Lead Pieces Possibly Gaming Counters Or Coin Weights

Copper Alloy Fragment. Hand carved with Gothic script letters on both sides - possible Medieval annular brooch fragment.

I could go on but will finish today with these - I think that Andrew, the local FLO is going to be busy.

Love And Marriage In Framlingham And Paris

It's been a busy week with little time to blog. I went to see my local farmer and his wife on Tuesday and we went through all the finds I had made in their fields. It was good to get to know them and they were fascinated to see the bits and pieces from the past that had turned up on their land. They told me that they had had some problems with people turning up with detectors without permission, digging up crops and leaving a mess so I feel lucky that they are still happy for me to detect. I took the finds to the county archaeologist in Bury St Edmunds on Friday so everything is being fully recorded. But that's nothing to do with the heading on today's blog.

  

Love and marriage has been a recurring theme this week. On Wednesday evening we went to Framlingham College for  Love And Marriage In The Renaissance, a talk by art scholar Nicholas Ross. Nick discussed a number of classic paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries with an emphasis on the works of Botticelli. He showed us the amazing allegories in the paintings and explained hidden codes and meanings influenced by both catholicism and Greek mythology. It was a totally fascinating talk and it inspired us to look more closely at what is in a painting rather than simply view it as a whole. The talk was presented with charm and a good deal of impish humour that had the audience asking for more. These events run by FramSoc never fail to impress. They are open to non members for a small admission fee but inexpensive annual membership is open to Framlingham residents and is highly recommended.

Continuing on the marriage theme, we went to Cineworld in Ipswich to see Le Week-End on Wednesday afternoon . Starring Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan who are both five or six years older than us, it's the story of a thirtieth wedding anniversary in Paris. It's brilliantly acted. Broadbent is world weary; unhappy in his career and his sex life and leeched upon by his druggy son. Duncan is a modern, independent woman who is weary of her marriage and life in general. Will the romantic weekend return to their honeymoon hotel rekindle the sparks or will it drive a final nail into the coffin of their romance? I thought that, in view of the proximity to our own ages, I might see some parallels in our own relationship but, although it's very real and played with humour and charm I'm pleased to say that I didn't (don't know about Marion mind). With a great supporting role from Jeff Goldblum, it's well worth going to see.

It was fabulous to see Sarah, Rose and Melody visiting us on Skype yesterday. Rose is very happy with her new little sister although, as you can see from this photo, Melody is not that little any longer! We really miss our family in Scotland but it won't be long before we head back up north for a couple more weeks in St Andrews.

Sarah sent me some photos from my 60th birthday party. I will save everyone else's embarrassment by not naming my friends and sparing them from Google but why a fire extinguisher, a teddy bear and a standard lamp are involved is anybody's guess. One of those allegories perhaps.

On a final note today, we were very sad to see a neighbour taken to hospital this week. She's in her tenth decade but the hospital tell me that she's doing very well. We miss seeing her and look forward to welcoming her home very soon.

It's Treasure

I'm just back from a visit to Lancaster to see Dot Boughton my local FLO (Finds Liaison Officer). I was at the museum to show her the small gold item that I blogged about a week or so back - pictured above as it came out of the ground and below after a rinse with a bit of water. 

The good news is - it's Treasure. And the bad news is - it's Treasure. Under the 1996 Treasure Act all unearthed gold and silver items over three hundred years old are deemed Treasure and must be reported to the coroner who will decide what becomes of them. His, or her, choices are to return it to the finder or to retain it for a museum that wishes to acquire it at their valuation which is then split between the finder and the landowner. 


So what is it? Dot tells me that it is definitely Roman and dates from the first or second century AD. Although many have suggested that it is an earring, she is satisfied that is not wearable as such (from her own experience of pierced earrings) and that it is the clasp and the first two links from a gold bracelet (which was pretty much my own verdict after a couple of weeks Googling). The design is unique and very rare in her opinion. The only items with any similarities that she has been able to research are one from the excavation of Mitchells Brewery in Lancaster (see below) and another found in Germany. She believes that it originated in Europe before finding its way to North West England. Being the first Roman gold artefact she has recorded in her area she was extremely pleased to see it.

Dot pointed out the similarities to this Roman item on display in Lancaster Museum

It is my best detecting find to date and I am truly delighted to have found an artefact that is so rare and important in the FLO's opinion. The only reason that I mentioned bad news is that it seems highly likely that the nearest museum to the find spot will want to have it and I won't have the pleasure of holding it again. Which is nothing to complain about really as I had the thrill of finding it and "owning" it for just under two weeks. I will be interested to hear the coroner's or the British Museum's valuation. The Treasure forms have a convenient box to tick if I am happy to donate it but I'd like to find out what they think it's worth and have to take the farmer's opinion into account as well so I left the box blank for the time being. We can always make that decision in the future. I imagine that it will be some considerable time before the legal proceedings are completed.

Until then it's back to the weekly detecting trips dreaming if some treasure might turn up. It's a wonderful hobby. Here are some of my favourite finds from this year to date.

Charles I Shilling

Romano British Disc Brooch

Roman Coin 

Lion Head Harness Mount

Another Romano British Brooch

Another Roman Coin In Good Condition

My brother's find this one.