March 2022 Meeting

The Peebles Hoard: an update 

An introduction by Trevor Cowie

In June 2020, Mariusz Stępień and two friends were metal detecting in a field not far from Peebles when he discovered some unusual bronze rings. Recognising they might be of some significance, Mariusz resisted the temptation to explore further and immediately contacted the Scottish Treasure Trove Unit based in the National Museum of Scotland (for information of Treasure Trove in Scotland see https://treasuretrovescotland.co.uk/).

The unusual nature of the rings was confirmed and despite the difficulties posed by the Covid pandemic at that time, a team from the museum immediately undertook a small excavation with assistance from the finder and the kind permission of the landowners. Over the following weeks, methodical excavation gradually revealed the outline of a pit containing what proved to be a hoard of Bronze Age artefacts dating from around 1000-800 BC.

The hoard consists of a sword which would have been placed in the pit over along with what seems to be a complete set of horse harness including buckles, rings and strap ornaments, some of them of types not previously known from Scotland. To the delight of the archaeologists, the painstaking excavation revealed vestiges of leather and wood preserved in the soil fill of the pit, actually allowing them to trace the remains of the sword scabbard and even the straps that once connected the rings and buckles of the horse harness.

Owing to the complexity of the find, the decision was taken to lift the whole pit in a block of soil for ‘micro-excavation’ in the NMS Laboratories. A great deal of conservation and research work still remains to be done but already it is clear that this amazing local discovery will eventually provide unparalleled insights into how Bronze Age horse harnesses were assembled. In this presentation, Emily will discuss the discovery and excavation of the site, and will provide an update on the progress so far as the hoard is taken through the Treasure Trove system. 

Emily Freeman is the Manager of the Treasure Trove Unit, based in the Department of Scottish History & Archaeology, NMS. She has a background in Ancient History and Museums Studies, with a focus on material culture. Before joining the Unit, Emily volunteered with the Staffordshire Hoard project team at Birmingham Museums Trust and spent a year with the Portable Antiquities Scheme in the West Midlands as a Finds Recording Assistant. Her own primary research interests are numismatics and how coinage developed in Scotland. 

Emily’s talk will be live streamed via Zoom on THURSDAY 17th MARCH commencing at 7.30pm. PAS MEMBERS will automatically receive an email invitation and link to the event.