This year marks 15 years of the Portable Antiquities Scheme as a national scheme. Throughout the year we’ll be celebrating finds from each county – a find a day for the whole year! Here are the finds we’ve chosen on the theme of Christmas:
A selection of finds on the theme of Christmas (Copyright: Portable Antiquities Scheme, Licence: CC-BY).
Post-medieval reliquary (ESS-2C4836): A gold reliquary pendant bearing the names of the Magi, or Three Wise Men.
Medieval finger ring (PAS-D077FE): A gold finger ring with various religious scenes on each bezel, including the Nativity.
Modern clay pipe (LIN-E723F8): A clay pipe bowl in the shape of the head of St. Nicholas.
Post-medieval bell (LANCUM-B13680): A lead or tin alloy clapper bell from an animal harness.
Medieval harness pendant (SF5207): A copper alloy and enamelled harness pendant with a stag’s head.
Medieval pendant (PAS-89FB5E): A gold pendant showing Thomas Becket on one side and the Annunciation on the other.
Bronze Age gold rings (PAS-833958): Five gold pennanular rings.
This year marks 15 years of the Portable Antiquities Scheme as a national scheme. Throughout the year we’ll be celebrating finds from each county – a find a day for the whole year! Here are the finds we’ve chosen from Worcestershire:
A selection of finds from the county of Worcestershire (Copyright: Portable Antiquities Scheme, Licence: CC-BY).
Post-medieval strap fitting (WMID-42DE85): A copper alloy sword belt fitting in the shape of a snake.
Medieval harness pendant (WMID-A8450A): A copper alloy harness pendant with the Arms of the influential Despenser family.
Neolithic axehead roughout (YORYM-55A842): A stone Neolithic Langdale axe roughout – a roughly shape that would later be ground and polished into a finished axehead.
Roman vessel fragment (WAW-702E22): A body sherd of a Nene Valley Ware vessel.
Early medieval mount (WAW-F67243): A copper alloy mount with a human-like face.
Post-medieval knife (WAW-996D45): A copper alloy knife handle with back-to-back male and female figures.
Bronze Age wristband (WAW-FF9418): A tentatively-identified wrist guard or bracer for an archer.
This year marks 15 years of the Portable Antiquities Scheme as a national scheme. Throughout the year we’ll be celebrating finds from each county – a find a day for the whole year! Here are the finds we’ve chosen from Wiltshire:
A selection of finds from the county of Wiltshire.
Palaeolithic handaxe (WILT-EEFB94): A flint handaxe from the Lower Palaeolithic period, c.500000-150000BC.
Post-medieval seal matrix (WILT-669DA9): A gold seal matrix. The fob is in shape of a snake biting its tail whilst the matrix is inscribed with a flower and the words “a moi”.
Roman coin (OXON-5853F7): A Roman Republican silver denarius dated 63BC. Issued by L. Furius Brocchus, mint of Rome.
Early Medieval brooch (WILT-7ED52): A copper alloy Saxon saucer brooch.
Iron Age brooch (WILT-97BC77): A copper alloy Birdlip brooch.
Bronze Age mould (WILT-FFC218): A copper alloy Middle Bronze Age palstave mould.
This year marks 15 years of the Portable Antiquities Scheme as a national scheme. Throughout the year we’ll be celebrating finds from each county – a find a day for the whole year! Here are the finds we’ve chosen from the West Midlands:
A selection of finds from the West Midlands.
Roman figurine (WAW-C54295): A Romano-British horse-and-rider statuette.
Post-medieval mount (WMID-F13B24): A lead alloy heraldic mount of a wyvern or dracontile.
Early Medieval pendant (WMID-4241F2): A gold pendant with two Style II animal heads depicted on it.
Medieval seal matrix (WMID-99B743): A copper alloy seal matrix depicting a crowned Mary on the throne with Christ on her knee.
Post-medieval dental plate (YORYM-DEF0E2): A gold dental plate.
Medieval pendant (BM-1F56EE): A gold pendant crudely engraved with the head of Jesus.
Bronze Age spearhead (WMID-9975DA): A copper alloy pegged spearhead.
This year marks 15 years of the Portable Antiquities Scheme as a national scheme. Throughout the year we’ll be celebrating finds from each county – a find a day for the whole year! Here are the finds we’ve chosen from Warwickshire:
A selection of finds from the county of Warwickshire.
Medieval arrowhead (WMID-95AB3B): A copper alloy arrowhead.
Early Medieval penny (WAW-001516): A silver penny of Harold I, minted in Lincoln, by the moneyer Beorhtric.
Post-medieval seal matrix (WAW-299C28): A gold fob seal of an owl with the initials AD inscribed in the matrix part.
Bronze Age ring (WAW-97DE52): A gold penannular ring.
Roman mount (WMID-1BE588): A copper alloy mount depicting the head of a Satyr.
Neolithic arrowhead (WAW-42E601): A flint leaf-shaped arrowhead.
Iron Age harness fitting (WAW-CA0CC0): A copper alloy bridle strap junction.
This year marks 15 years of the Portable Antiquities Scheme as a national scheme. Throughout the year we’ll be celebrating finds from each county – a find a day for the whole year! Here are the finds we’ve chosen from Tyne & Wear:
A selection of finds from Tyne & Wear.
Post-medieval cannon ball (NCL-A1C882): A lead cannon ball, probably from the English Civil War c.1644.
Roman brooch (NCL-0CAA44): A copper alloy pelta-shaped plate brooch with coloured enamel infills.
Post-medieval token (NCL-E8BDD5): A lead or lead alloy trade token dated AD1500-1800 with anchor and rope on front.
Roman coin hoard (DUR-507D5B): A Roman coin hoard containing coins of Mark Antony, Vitellius, Vespasian, Flavian and Domitian.
Medieval spindle whorl (DUR-223445): A decorated lead spindle whorl, dated AD1200-1500.
Unidentified object (NCL-833E75): A copper alloy object, probably Post-medieval but function unknown.
This year marks 15 years of the Portable Antiquities Scheme as a national scheme. We are sharing a find a day for the whole year. This year also marks 100 years since the end of the First World War so this week we are highlighting finds related to the First World War and Remembrance:
They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.
A selection of finds on the topic of Remembrance.
Tobacco tin (SUR-961965): An aluminium tobacco or matchbox holder which has been re-purposed from something like a mess tin. It has been engraved with a foliage on one side and the US and UK flags on the other. The spine has the word “Ypres” engraved on it, perhaps to commemorate the owner’s service there.
Decorative band (SUR-4C80E2): An inscribed copper-alloy band made from the driving band of an artillery shell. It reads: E.J.C.James 179203 MTASC (Motor Transport Army Service Corps). Perhaps the shell exploded close to Private James and he kept the fragment as a lucky souvenir.
Medal (SUR-423377): A long service and good conduct medal awarded to Private Alfred Anderson of the 1st Battalion, Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment. Alfred was sent to France when the First World War broke out. He was captured and sent to Langensaltza POW camp in Germany where he remained for the rest of the war. He remained in the Army until 1926, hence the long service medal.
Medal (SUR-EBD73D): First World War British War Medal awarded to Lorna Marjorie Cambrier Faunce of the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD). Lorna served abroad twice during the First World War. She survived the War, passing away in 1969.
Medal (LIN-F6306C): Victory Medal of the First World War, awarded to Sgt Charles William Baggaley of the Lincolnshire Regiment.
Medal (WMID-794AC4): Victory medal awarded to Private Frederick Ford of the 58th Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force. Frederick enlisted in the AIF in 1915 and served in France, but was injured several times. In March 2018 he was hit by a bomb injuringhis right arm and both legs. He died the following day and was buried in Bauolleul Cemetery in France. Frederick had been married for just 3 months at the time of his death.
Finger ring (DUR-D26B53): Silver finger ring made from a George V half crown. Date 1910-1936. It is an example of ‘trench art’ where commemorative items were fashioned from other objects. Coins turned into rings were particularly popular in First World War.
This year marks 15 years of the Portable Antiquities Scheme as a national scheme. Throughout the year we’ll be celebrating finds from each county – a find a day for the whole year! Here are the finds we’ve chosen on the theme of Halloween:
A selection of finds on the theme of Halloween.
Post-medieval seal matrix (DENO-D3E954): A silver memento mori seal matrix depicting a skeleton.
Post-medieval pipe tamper (DENO-0C6CC4): A copper alloy pipe tamper inthe shape of a devil.
Fossil oyster shell (SWYOR-96E960): A fossilised oyster shell known as a Devil’s Toenail.
Post-medieval token (LON-F2C9F6): A copper alloy farthing trade token dating to 1657, picturing a skull.
Post-medieval knife handle (LVPL-BD94F3): A copper alloy knife handle with the inscription ‘Make you bleed’.
Post-medieval bottle (LIN-49FC12): A glass bottle and contents that may form a “witch bottle” (a countermagical object).
Post-medieval shoe (LANCUM-76D192): A leather child’s shoe found within a wall, probably placed there to ward off evil spirits.
This year marks 15 years of the Portable Antiquities Scheme as a national scheme. Throughout the year we’ll be celebrating finds from each county – a find a day for the whole year! Here are the finds we’ve chosen from Sussex:
A selection of finds from the county of Sussex.
Palaeolithic handaxe (SUSS-AF6EC6): A flint Acheulian handaxe of the ficron type.
Post-medieval bell (SUSS-7131C0): A copper alloy crotal or animal bell made by the Wells foundry at Aldbourne in Wiltshire.
Bronze Age sword hilt (SUSS-761CD0): A copper alloy sword hilt of the late Haltstatt type.
Early Medieval brooch (SUSS-EE599E): A gilded copper alloy button brooch depicting a human face.
Modern button (SUSS-6044A2): A copper alloy 19th century button made by R E Hayward of Longacre, London, for East Sussex Gaol.
Iron Age harness fitting (SUSS-F35BF5): A copper alloy strap union inlaid with enamel.
Roman mount (SUSS-262875): A copper alloy Roman vessel mount in the shape of a bird.
This year marks 15 years of the Portable Antiquities Scheme as a national scheme. Throughout the year we’ll be celebrating finds from each county – a find a day for the whole year! Here are the finds we’ve chosen from Surrey:
A selection of finds from the county of Surrey. (Copyright: Portable Antiquities Scheme, Licence: CC-BY).
Roman coin (SUR-D40227): A silver denarius issued by Elagabalus dated AD218-222.
Medieval purse bar (SUR-5C7A0E): A copper alloy purse bar inscribed with ‘Christ’ and ‘St. Mary’.
Modern medal (SUR-5ADA50): A Distinguished Conduct Medal from the First World War.
Early Medieval mount (SUR-7B05A8): A copper alloy stirrup strap mount.
Early Medieval brooch (SUR-E2A8E7): A copper alloy and enamel cloisonne disc brooch, the first of its kind recorded in Surrey.
Modern button (SUR-F7AEB3): An 18th century military button of the Queen’s Own 7th Light Dragoons.
Early Medieval spear (SUR-0EC561): An iron spearhead dating to AD550-650.
