Treasure Hunting TV

Dad finds valuable 17th century ring during metal hunt

noreply@blogger.com (googy) — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 11:40:00 +0000

A medieval ring discovered by a metal detecting dad could be worth thousands of pounds.

Shaun Terriss, 46, struck gold when he unearthed the ring inches below pasture land on a metal hunt with a friend.

A treasure inquest heard he regularly searched the grounds at Kenfield Hall in Petham with permission from the landowner and also belonged to a metal detecting club.

Experts from the British Museum estimate the ring is from the 17th century, but were unable to say who it belonged to.

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York Pre-historic Hoard Declared Treasure

noreply@blogger.com (googy) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 22:42:00 +0000

A Pre-historic hoard found by the Yorkshire Searchers Metal Detecting Club at York last year were declared as Treasure at the coroners court inquest at Harrogate on Wednesday 30th May. The inquest lasted 1 hour and the the British Museum are interested in acquiring the finds.

Linch Pins, Terret Rings, Roman Coins, Celtic Toggle and many items were found.

Chas Jones rejects claims of Persimmon over site of Battle of Fulford at Germany Beck

noreply@blogger.com (googy) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 22:12:00 +0000

AN ARCHAEOLOGIST has hit back after developers claimed there was no evidence the Battle of Fulford took place on the proposed site of York’s biggest housing scheme.

Chas Jones said several strands of evidence pointed to Germany Beck being the site of the 1066 battle, including hundreds of iron items found at sites along the length of the beck, which may have been “workshops” for recycling pieces of metal left over from the fight.

“We think that the defeat of the Norse army at Stamford Bridge meant that this work was abandoned and the sites were quickly flooded, preserving these field workshops,” he said.

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Volunteers Wanted For Community Archaeology Dig

noreply@blogger.com (googy) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 22:07:00 +0000

Experts from the Field Archaeology Team at National Museums Liverpool are leading the week-long dig from June 20-27.

The public can watch them throughout the week, and volunteers can get involved on Saturday, June 23, and Sunday, June 24. Local schoolchildren will also visit the project.

Fiona Sunners, from the Sefton Coast Landscape Partnership Scheme, said: "We wanted to organise a public archaeology event along the coast and Firwood House is perfect as it has a hidden past but is not an ancient site.

"We are very grateful for the support of the team from National Museums Liverpool who are experienced in running this sort of event.

"During the project we are hoping to discover when the house was built, who built it, what it looked like, why it was built there and when and why it fell into disrepair.

"This is a rare opportunity for local people to get involved in archaeology and find out more about the history of Sefton and the Formby area."

* Anyone keen to get involved in the dig (on June 23/24) can call 0151-934 2964, or e-maillandscape.partnership@sefton.gov.uk People can also follow the dig on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/SeftonCoast (The site of Firwood House is off St Lukes Church Road, Formby, and further details will be on the website and Facebook page.)

Gold fever to grip Pambula?

noreply@blogger.com (googy) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 21:43:00 +0000

There is a nugget of interest in the old Pambula goldfields that could be the starting point of a return to Pambula’s halcyon boom town days.
West Australian gold mining interests are seeking to explore a 30 square kilometre area 3km south west of Pambula.

The area is classified as the Pambula central goldfield.

The area targeted (see map on Page 2) is close to South Pambula, parts of Greigs Flat, and it includes much of the old goldfields area, 1km south-west of Yowaka, Broadwater and land on both sides of the Princes Highway. It also goes near, but excludes, the settlements of Lochiel (by half a kilometre, to the north west) and Nethercote (by 1.5km to the north-north east).

Its central co-ordinates are half a kilometre from the saw mill at South Pambula.

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Greek experts find Roman shipwrecks nearly a mile deep

noreply@blogger.com (googy) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 21:35:00 +0000

Two Roman-era shipwrecks have been found in deep water off a western Greek island, challenging the conventional theory that ancient shipmasters stuck to coastal routes rather than risking the open sea, an official said Tuesday. Greece's culture ministry said the two third-century wrecks were discovered earlier this month during a survey of an area where a Greek-Italian gas pipeline is to be sunk. They lay between 0.7 and 0.9 mile deep in the sea between Corfu and Italy.

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Coin from 32 BC oldest in Beau Street Hoard

noreply@blogger.com (amazonste) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 13:25:00 +0000

The oldest Roman coin in a hoard discovered in Bath dates back more than 200 years earlier than the others already examined.

The Beau Street Hoard of more than 20,000 silver coins was found in a stone-lined box by archaeologists working in Bath in 2007.

Work has begun at the British Museum to clean them.

Stephen Clews, manager of the Roman Baths, said a coin from 32BC was the oldest identified so far.

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17th century shipwreck found

noreply@blogger.com (googy) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 23:24:00 +0000

Amateur divers have discovered a sunken ship they believe is a Swedish royal navy vessel that went down off Stockholm in 1660 with a cargo of gold and jewels, they said Thursday.

The divers said they had not found the Resande Man's precious cargo, which the ship was carrying to Poland as a gift from the Swedish government when it sank in the Baltic Sea in November 1660.

"Obviously, we were hoping to discover it," one of the divers, photographer Peter Jademyr, said. But he said the team of five divers still hoped to find the treasure.

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Clean-up work on Bath hoard of Roman coins is going well

noreply@blogger.com (googy) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 23:10:00 +0000

An astonishing hoard of Roman coins found in Bath is beginning to scrub up well.

Experts at the British Museum are preserving and analysing the collection, one of the biggest ever found in Britain. They were discovered during an archaeological dig at the site of work on the Gainsborough Hotel, in Beau Street. It is estimated that there are at least 25,000 coins, many of them silver denarii dating from 32BC until 270AD. A Roman soldier would have been paid 600 denarii a year.

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Guildhall event uncovers the story of largest Anglo-Saxon gold find

noreply@blogger.com (googy) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 23:05:00 +0000

The fascinating story behind the discovery of the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found will be told at Bath & North East Somerset Council's Guildhall in Bath later this month.

The renowned archaeologist Dr Kevin Leahy FSA MIfA, National Finds Advisor for the Portable Antiquities Scheme, will give an illustrated talk on Wednesday 13 June at 7.30pm about the significance of the huge haul found in 2009 near Lichfield, Staffordshire.

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Crimewatch appeal over stolen jug worth £75,000

noreply@blogger.com (googy) — Thu, 31 May 2012 16:42:00 +0000

The BBC's Crimewatch programme is to feature the theft of a rare medieval jug from a Luton museum.

The Wenlok jug, which is worth about £75,000, was stolen from the Stockwood Discovery Centre during a break-in on Saturday 12 May.

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'Lost Kingdom' found in Scotland

noreply@blogger.com (googy) — Thu, 31 May 2012 14:55:00 +0000

Pottery from Africa found in a burnt-out fortress in Galloway hints at a 'lost' Dark Ages kingdom that may even have been born of an alliance between Britons and Picts.

Remarkably, a Pictish carved stone at the fort's entrance shows two entwined symbols which could have been evidence of an alliance between Britons and Picts, possibly through a ‘royal’ marriage.

A shard of sixth century pottery from Africa also found at the site shows it could only have been home to someone of ‘the very highest status’, like a King.

The Picts were a savage tribe who lived north of the Firth of Forth - very few Pictish stones have ever been found outside their traditional territory.

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Episcopal Coins Of Durham - Anthony Bek 1284-1311

noreply@blogger.com (googy) — Thu, 31 May 2012 13:49:00 +0000

I am often asked what the difference is between a Durham Penny and an Episcopal Durham Penny. In the article below I'll try and explain.

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In years gone by Bishops were very powerful people, and some where allowed to mint money in their own right. So as well as official Durham coins minted by the king, other coins were also minted by the bishops. These are referred to as Episcopal coins. It has been suggested that the Bishops of Durham coined money as early as after the days of the conquest, but they lost their privilege when Henry II deprived the bishop of his dies c1183. However these were restored by Richard I in 1196. These earlier Episcopal coins will be looked at, at a later date.

The first easliy identifiable pennies minted by a Durham Bishop, were in the reign of Edward I, when in the eleventh year of his reign, Anthony Bek was appointed to the See of Durham - See, meaning the place in which a cathedral stands. Identified as the seat of authority of a Bishop.

We are told that he was the most opulent prelate that ever filled the chair. In fact it is him that remarked

'There are two kings in England, namely the Lord King of England, wearing a crown in sign of his regality and the Lord Bishop of Durham, wearing a mitre in place of a crown, in sign of his regality in the diocese of Durham'.

The Bishop was usually attended by one hundred and forty knights, and having obtained the Patriachate of Jerusalem from the Pope, he procured the government of the Isle of Man from the king. Conscious of these honours and his palatanate rights he appears on his episcopal seal with a large cross moline embroidered on his upper robe, in the style of the temporal barons of those days.

It is for this reason that those pennies bearing the cross moline are attributed to the bishop. The marks are usually presented at the beginning of the legend on each side of the coin; others have the same cross in the second quarter of the reverse; and yet another type has it at the beginning of the legend, of the obverse only.

The coins, with the cross on the obverse/both sides, or in the second quarter of the reverse have the kings name EDW, and on the reverse CIVITAS DVREME. These coins date from 1284 and are always 4b-e, 5b, 6b, 7b. CIVITAS DVRENE is also used for class 9a.and also 9b.

Edward I, Class 9b2, Episcopal Durham Penny

There are also coins with the name EDWAR and CIVITAS DVNELM or CIVITAS DVREME with the cross moline on the obverse only and these are 10ab, 10cf or 11a. It is believed that most, of the 10cf, and all of 11a were minted in the early reign of Edward II. Anthony Beck died 3rd March 1311.

Edward I class 10cf3 Durham penny with the cross moline initial mark,
but has an error in the obverse legend, reading EDWAN ANGL DNS HYB

Edward I, Probably a Class 10cf, Episcopal Durham Penny

Image Courtesy of Sleddall Hall Antiques

In my next article, I will continue with Bishop Kellow. If in the meantime you have any images of ecipscopal pennies of Durham, you would like to share, please leave a comment and I'll get in touch.

Tudor Gresham Ship wreck moves to National Diving Centre

noreply@blogger.com (googy) — Wed, 30 May 2012 07:59:00 +0000

The wreck of an Elizabethan merchant ship is being transported to a new home in Leicestershire after being raised from a Portsmouth lake.

The so-called Gresham Ship has been 6m (20ft) underwater at Horsea Island Lake since being moved there after its discovery in the River Thames in 2003.

A large crane was used to lift the 400-year-old wreck for the journey to the Stoney Cove National Diving Centre.

Project director Mark Beattie-Edwards said the ship was "in good order".

Its destination is the National Diving Centre - a flooded quarry at Stoney Cove - where it will be used as an "underwater classroom" to train nautical archaeologists

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Rare Martian Pink diamond sold for $17.4m in Hong Kong

noreply@blogger.com (amazonste) — Tue, 29 May 2012 17:04:00 +0000

Rare Martian Pink diamond sold for $17.4m in Hong Kong

A rare pink diamond has been auctioned for $17.4m (£11.1m) - far higher than expected - after six minutes of frenzied bidding in Hong Kong.

Auctioneers Christie's say that the diamond - the biggest of its kind ever to be sold - was bought by an anonymous telephone bidder.

The Martian Pink diamond is extremely rare. Its owner believed it would fetch the best price in Hong Kong.

The diamond had been expected to sell for between $8m and $12m (£5m - £7.6m).

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Pot donated to a Bristol-based charity's shop sells for £360,000

noreply@blogger.com (amazonste) — Mon, 28 May 2012 15:25:00 +0000

An old carved wooden pot anonymously donated to a charity shop in Bristol has been sold for £360,000.

The 300-year-old Chinese bamboo brushpot was spotted among a donation of wrapped items by workers at a St Peter's Hospice charity shop.

It was sold to a Hong Kong collector at an auction in Salisbury on Wednesday.

Janet Loud, from the charity, said it was "shocked but delighted" that the pot had "far exceeded the amount even experts believed it would raise."

After finding the donation the charity, unsure of what it had, were put in contact with antiques experts at auctioneers Woolley & Wallis.

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Wearside Echoes: Roman around Sunderland’s history

noreply@blogger.com (amazonste) — Mon, 28 May 2012 13:45:00 +0000

A FLURRY of ancient finds has sparked renewed calls for investigations into a possible Roman dam in Sunderland.

Historians have long debated the origins of a stone structure which once spanned the River Wear between North and South Hylton – but a definitive answer has yet to be unearthed.

Now a public meeting is to be held to discuss the topic further – with Wearsiders urged to bring along any ancient artefacts discovered in the area for closer examination.

“Recent Roman finds such as a figurine, pottery shard and several coins have re-ignited the debate over the history of the structure,” said Castle ward councillor and local historian Denny Wilson.

“One theory is that the Romans built it as a dam, to enable the transport of goods by boat much further up river. If proved to be Roman, this could really put Sunderland on the map.”

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Rare Roman coins, pottery pieces, stone weights excavated

noreply@blogger.com (amazonste) — Mon, 28 May 2012 13:41:00 +0000

Ancient history and archaeology department, University of Mysore, is conducting scientific archeological excavations at Haluru near Anuvanahalli of Shivani hobli, Tarikere taluk, Chikmagalur district.

It has unearthed prehistoric and early historic evidence with the help of M P Mahadevaiah, G Kariyappa, team of research scholars and MA students from more than two-and-half months.

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DIAMOND JUBILEE: Mayor hands out coins at schools

noreply@blogger.com (amazonste) — Mon, 28 May 2012 13:39:00 +0000

CHILDREN in Wantage were thrilled to be given their very own commemorative coins to mark the Jubilee.

To celebrate 60 years of the Queen’s reign, the town’s mayor Charlotte Dickson has been handing out specially minted coins to primary school children in Wantage and Grove.

Ms Dickson, pictured with Max Baker and Libby, left, and Georgia Holding, said: “The town council wanted to give the children a little memento of the occasion. Many of us remember getting the crowns from the Silver Jubilee so it seemed like a nice thing to do.”

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£9,500 diamond jubilee coin approved by the Queen

noreply@blogger.com (amazonste) — Mon, 28 May 2012 13:38:00 +0000

A coin containing 60 diamonds and costing £9,500 has been given a royal seal of approval by the Queen for her diamond jubilee.

Kingswood-based Pobjoy Mint, a private mint which makes coins for commonwealth countries around the world, has produced the commemorative piece for the government of Ascension Island.

Keeping in theme with the Queen’s landmark year, the coin is made with 60 ounces of fine silver and 60 diamonds, set into the crown on the design of the profile of the Queen. The crown has also been gold-plated to show-off the diamonds to their full effect.

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Metal detector hobbyists find possible WWII remains

noreply@blogger.com (amazonste) — Mon, 28 May 2012 13:14:00 +0000

It was an unusual rendezvous: a small group of Americans, a couple of German homicide detectives and a small bag of bone fragments.

Deep in the woods, about 20 miles southwest of Stuttgart, Kolby Lanham, a Spangdahlem airman, handed over the bone fragments he’d found.

The German police wanted first to rule out a crime scene. Then, their job was to determine whether the bones were human and whether they dated back to World War II, because they were found at what is believed to be a B-24 crash site. The police noted the small sample size, as they looked over the few pieces of bone.

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Be guided by expert around many of Wiltshire's Stone Age monuments

noreply@blogger.com (amazonste) — Mon, 28 May 2012 13:08:00 +0000

TV archaeologist Julian Richards is to lead a series of walks around the World Heritage site of Avebury this summer and autumn.

Dr Richards, who presented BBC’s Meet the Ancestors, is a noted expert on the archaeology of Avebury and Stonehenge and will be leading the Wessex Walks on Wednesday, June 6, Saturday, September 1, and Sunday, October 21.

The seven-mile circular walks begin at the Avebury stone circle and takes in many of Britain’s finest Stone Age monuments, including the West Kennett Long Barrow and Silbury Hill, the 130ft tall, 4,700-year-old artificial mound, sometimes referred to as Britain’s answer to the pyramids.

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Elizabethan wreck for Stoney

noreply@blogger.com (googy) — Fri, 25 May 2012 00:05:00 +0000

Leicestershire’s Stoney Cove is to gain the wreckage of a 16th century armed merchantman as a diving attraction and archaeological training ground.

The remains were salved from London’s River Thames in 2004 and transported to Horsea Island lake in Hampshire, were they were stored before the decision to move them to Leicestershire.

There are, says the Nautical Archaeology Society (NAS), “five huge sections” which are to be sunk at Stoney on 1 June in a depth of just 6m.

Tree ring analysis of the ship’s timbers have suggested that it was built around 1574.

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BMI Hospital's treasure find to feature on television

noreply@blogger.com (googy) — Fri, 25 May 2012 00:03:00 +0000

When Heather Masters was approached by a man in shorts and muddy wellingtons asking her to X-ray an animal bone that had just been dug up, she immediately thought something seemed “a little bit strange”.

But Heather, who was imaging manager at BMI Sandringham Hospital, in Kings Lynn, soon changed her mind when the X-ray revealed the bone contained twenty gold coins that were more than 2000 years old.

The coins were discovered as archaeologists worked on the Iron Age site in nearby Sedgeford and were to become one of the most significant finds of the entire project.

The mud-covered man was Chris Mackie, a keen amateur archaeologist and Director of the Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research Project (SHARP). He admits that his excitement on that day back in 2003 may well have made him appear “a little bit odd, to say the least.”

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Local museum hope for buried treasure

noreply@blogger.com (googy) — Thu, 24 May 2012 23:45:00 +0000

ONE of the most significant hoards of coins to have been found in Caithness looks set to be displayed at a museum in the county.

Metal detector enthusiast Mikie Aitken (28), from Killimster, made a once-in-a-lifetime discovery after finding a total 46 coins that were thought to be over 700 years old.
Now accredited museums in Caithness are set to be given the opportunity to bid to display the coins at their premises.

Ever since they were first discovered in January, Mr Aitken’s coins have attracted attention from across the country, with experts describing the find as extremely significant.

After analysing the hoard, Treasure Trove Scotland discovered that the coins were in circulation only 30 years after Caithness became part of Scotland, predating 1290.

Mr Aitken said that the hope now is that the coins will return north and he is confident a new home can be found in Caithness.

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