- Silsden Hoard
The
Silsden Hoard is an assemblage containing 27gold coins of lateBritish Iron Age date and a Roman finger ring.Discovery
The Hoard was discovered in 1998 by Jeff Walbank using a
metal detector in a field at Silsden inWest Yorkshire . The hoard was declared to be treasure before being acquired byBradford Art Galleries and Museums in 2000. The Hoard is now on display at Cliffe Castle Museum inKeighley , near where it was found.Contents of the Hoard
The Silsden Hoard was found to contain 27 gold staters dating from the 1st century AD. Most of the coins were issued by
Cunobelinus , at various times throughout his reign. Others were issued by his brotherEpaticcus . Coins of theCorieltauvi were also part of the hoard.In addition to the coins, a finger ring, almost certainly of Roman provenance, was also found. The ring contains a gemstone bearing the figure of a man. The exact means of how this came to be a part of the Hoard are still subject to debate.
Historical background
The Hoard is one of three found in the former territories of the
Brigantes , all of which contain Corieltauvian coins. It is thought that the hoards were deposited by British refugees fleeing the Roman invasion of AD 43, under the EmperorClaudius and, as such, may be associated with accounts of the flight ofCaratacus , the son of Cunobelinus, whose policies were used by the Romans as a pretext for the invasion.External links
* [http://www.bradfordmuseums.org/altmain/minitours/html/coins.html Bradford Art Galleries and Museums' description of the Hoard]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
