Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T05:35:18.508Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Pershore Hoards and Votive Deposition in the Iron Age

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 October 2013

Derek Hurst  and
Ian Leins
Derek Hurst
Affiliation:
Worcestershire Archive & Archaeology Service, Worcestershire County Council, The Hive, Sawmill Walk, The Butts, Worcester WR1 3PB
Ian Leins
Affiliation:
Department of Coins and Medals, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A large hoard of Iron Age coins was discovered by metal-detecting at Pershore, Worcestershire, in 1993. During small-scale archaeological excavation further Iron Age coins were recovered, including a likely second hoard. Further fieldwork in the same vicinity as the hoard(s) produced more Iron Age finds, including more coins, and a possible fragment of a twisted wire gold torc. In total 1494 Iron Age gold and silver coins were recovered. Geophysical survey indicated that the hoard(s) lay at the southern end of an extensive area of settlement which, based on the fieldwalking evidence, was mainly of Iron Age and Roman date. This covered an overall area of c. 10 ha, within which several areas of more intensive activity were defined, including enclosures and possible round-houses. It is suggested that the coin hoard(s) indicate the location of a Late Iron Age religious space in an elevated landscape position situated on the edge of a settlement which continued into the Roman period. As part of the archaeological strategy, specialist deep-search metal-detecting was undertaken in order to establish that the site has now been completely cleared of metalwork caches

Résumé

Trésors et dépôts votifs de Pershore à l’âge du fer, de Derek Hurst et Ian Leins

Un important trésor de monnaies de l’âge du fer a été découvert par détecteur de métaux à Pershore dans le Worcestershire en 1993. Au cours de fouilles archéologiques à petite échelle, d'autres monnaies de l’âge du fer furent découvertes, y compris un probable second trésor. Des prospections supplémentaires dans la même zone que le/les trésor/s ont révélé d'autres trouvailles de l’âge du fer, y compris plus de monnaies et un éventuel fragment d'un torque en fil d'or torsadé. En tout 1494 monnaies d'or et d'argent de l’âge du fer ont été recouvrées. Une prospection géophysique a indiqué que le/les trésor/s se situait/aient à l'extrémité sud d'une zone d'occupation étendue qui, sur la base des témoignages des travaux d'arpentage, datait essentiellement de l’âge du fer et de la période romaine. Elle couvrait en tout une surface d'environ 10 ha, à l'intérieur de laquelle ont été définies plusieurs zones d'activité plus intensive, y compris des enceintes et d’éventuelles maisons rondes. On a proposé que la/les caches de monnaies indiquait/aien/t l'emplacement d'un espace religieux de la fin de l’âge du fer situé en position élevée dans un paysage en hauteur en bordure d'une occupation qui s'est prolongée jusque dans la période romaine. Dans le cadre de la stratégie archéologique, on a entrepris des recherches spécialisées approfondies avec détecteur de métaux afin d’établir qu'on avait bien dégagé du site toutes les caches de métaux

Zusammenfassung

Die Pershore Horte und Votivdeponierungen der Eisenzeit, von Derek Hurst und Ian Leins

Ein großer Hort eisenzeitlicher Münzen wurde 1993 von Sondengängern bei Pershore, Worcestershire, entdeckt. Während einer kleinräumigen archäologischen Ausgrabung wurden weitere eisenzeitliche Münzen gefunden, darunter auch ein möglicher zweiter Hort. Weitere Untersuchungen im Umfeld des bzw. der Horte lieferten zusätzliche Funde aus der Eisenzeit, darunter ebenfalls Münzen sowie ein mögliches Fragment eines goldenen Torques aus gedrehtem Draht. Insgesamt wurden 1494 eisenzeitliche Gold- und Silbermünzen geborgen. Ein geographischer Survey deutet an, dass der/die Horte am südlichen Ende eines ausgedehnten Siedlungsgebiets liegen, das, wie Feldbegehungen zeigen, vor allem in die Eisen- und römische Zeit datiert. Dieses Gebiet erstreckt sich insgesamt über ungefähr 10 Hektar, worin mehrere Areale mit intensiveren Aktivitäten unterschieden werden können, darunter auch Befestigungen und möglichen Rundhäusern. Es wird vorgeschlagen, dass der/die Münzhorte die Existenz eines späteisenzeitlichen religiösen Raums in einer erhöhten Landschaftsposition anzeigen, am Rand eines Siedlungsraums, der in der römischen Zeit weiter genutzt wurde. Als Teil der archäologischen Forschungsstrategie wurde eine spezialisierte tiefgehende Metallsuche durchgeführt um sicherzustellen, dass der Fundplatz nun völlig frei von Metallfunden ist

Resumen

Los tesoros de Pershore y la deposición votiva durante la Edad del Hierro, por Derek Hurst y Ian Leins

Una gran acumulación de monedas de la Edad del Hierro se descubrió mediante detector de metales en Pershore, Worcestershire, en 1993. Durante una pequeña intervención arqueológica se descubrió un mayor número de monedas, incluyendo una segunda acumulación. Una intervención arqueológica más extensa en la misma zona donde se descubrieron los depósitos, produjo un mayor número de hallazgos de la Edad del Hierro, incluyendo más monedas y fragmentos de un torque de oro de alambres trenzados. En total se registraron 1494 monedas de oro y plata de la Edad del Hierro. La prospección geofísica reveló que las acumulaciones se encontraban en el extremo sur de una extensa área de asentamiento que, basándose en la evidencia superficial de campo, se datan principalmente en la Edad del Hierro y época romana. El asentamiento abarca un área aproximada de 10 hectáreas, dentro de la cual se definieron áreas de actividad más intensiva, incluyendo cercados y posibles cabañas de planta redonda. Se sugiere que la(s) acumulación(es) de monedas indican la localización de un especio religioso del final de la Edad del Hierro en una zona elevada del paisaje, situado en uno de los márgenes del asentamiento que perdura en época romana. Como parte de la estrategia arqueológica, se llevó a cabo una búsqueda especializada en la detección de metales a gran profundidad con la finalidad de establecer que el sitio no se localizaba ningún otro hallazgo metálico

Keywords

Iron Agecoin hoardvotive depositWorcestershire
Type
Articles
Information
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society , Volume 79 , December 2013 , pp. 297 - 325
Copyright
Copyright © The Prehistoric Society 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Allen, D.F. 1944. The Belgic dynasties of Britain and their coins. Archaeologia 90, 1–46CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Allen, D. 1961. A study of the Dobunnic coinage. In E.M. Clifford (ed.), Bagendon, a Celtic oppidum: a record of excavations of 1954–56, 75–149. Cambridge: HefferGoogle Scholar
Allen, D.F. 1964. Celtic coins from the Romano-British temple at Harlow, Essex. British Numismatic Journal 33, 1–6Google Scholar
Allen, D.F. 1967. Celtic coins from the Romano-British temple at Harlow, Essex. British Numismatic Journal 36, 1–7Google Scholar
Allen, D.F. 1968. Celtic coins from the Romano-British temple at Harlow, Essex. British Numismatic Journal 37, 1–7Google Scholar
Arsdell, R.D. van. 1989. The Celtic Coinage of Britain. London: SpinkGoogle Scholar
Arsdell, R.D. van. 1994. Money supply and coin circulation in Dobunnic territory. In R.D. van Arsdell, The Coinage of the Dobunni, 1–65. Oxford: Oxford University Committee for Archaeology monograph 38Google Scholar
Burnett, A. 1990. Celtic coinage in Britain III: the Waltham St Lawrence Treasure Trove. British Numismatic Journal 60, 13–28Google Scholar
Buteux, V. 2000. Appendix 3: Report on the fieldwalking. In Hurst 2000Google Scholar
Casey, J. 1986. Understanding Ancient Coins: an introduction for archaeologists and historians. London: BatsfordGoogle Scholar
Chadburn, A., Gurney, D. 1991. The Fring coin hoard. Norfolk Archaeology 41, 218–225Google Scholar
Cheesman, C. 1994. The coins, 31–92, in M. G. O'Connell & J. Bird, The Roman temple at Wanborough, excavation 1985–6. Surrey Archaeological Collections 82, 1–168Google Scholar
Clarke, R.R. 1954. The early Iron Age treasure from Snettisham, Norfolk. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Soc 20, 27–86CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cottam, E., de Jersey, P., Rudd, C., Sills, J. 2010. Ancient British Coins. Aylsham: Chris RuddGoogle Scholar
Cowell, M.R., Oddy, W.A., Burnett, A.M. 1987. Celtic coinage in Britain: new hoards and recent analysis. British Numismatic Journal 57, 1–23Google Scholar
Crawford, M. 1974. Roman Republican Coinage. Cambridge: Cambridge University PressGoogle Scholar
Cunliffe, B. 1978. Iron Age communities in Britain (2 edn). London: Routledge & Kegan PaulGoogle Scholar
Cunliffe, B.W. 1980. The excavation of the Roman spring at Bath in 1979: a preliminary description. Antiquaries Journal 60, 187–206CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Curteis, M. 2006. Distribution and ritual deposition of Iron Age coins in the south Midlands. In P. de Jersey, Celtic Coinage: new discoveries, new discussion, 61–79. Oxford: British Archaeological Report S1532Google Scholar
Delestrée, L.-P., Tache, M. 2002. Nouvel atlas des monnaies Gauloises I: de la Seine au Rhin. Saint-Germain-en-Laye: Editions CommiosGoogle Scholar
Dennis, M., Faulkner, N. 2005. The Sedgeford Hoard. Stroud: TempusGoogle Scholar
Evans, J. 1864. The Coins of the Ancient Britons. LondonGoogle Scholar
Fitzpatrick, A.P. 1984. The deposition of La Tène Iron Age metalwork in watery contexts in southern England. In B. Cunliffe & D. Miles (eds), Aspects of the Iron Age in Central Southern Britain, 178–188. Oxford: University of Oxford Committee for Archaeology Monograph 2Google Scholar
Fitzpatrick, A.P. 1992. The Snettisham, Norfolk, hoards of Iron Age torques: sacred and profane. Antiquity 66, 395–398CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haselgrove, C. 1987. Iron Age Coinage in South-east England – the Archaeological Context. Oxford: British Archaeological Report 174Google Scholar
Haselgrove, C. 1989. Iron Age coin deposition at Harlow temple, Essex. Oxford Journal of Archaeology 8, 73–88CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haselgrove, C. 1993. The development of British Iron Age coinage. Numismatic Chronicle 153, 31–63Google Scholar
Haselgrove, C. 2005. A trio of temples: a reassessment of Iron Age coin deposition at Hayling Island, Harlow and Wanborough. In C. Haselgrove & D. Wigg-Wolf (eds), Iron Age Coinage and Ritual Practices, 381–418. Mainz: Studien zu Fundmünzen der Antike 20Google Scholar
Hingley, R. 1990. Iron Age currency bars: the archaeological and social context. Archaeological Journal 147, 91–117CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hobbs, R. 1996. British Iron Age Coins in the British Museum. London: British Museum PressGoogle Scholar
Hobbs, R. 2003. Treasure: finding our past. London: British Museum PressGoogle Scholar
*Hughes, J., Vaughan, T. 2009. Archaeological Investigations at Pershore Cemetery, Defford Road, Pershore. Worcester: Worcestershire Historic Environment and Archaeology Service internal report 1687Google Scholar
Hurst, J.D. 2000. The South Worcestershire Hoards: archaeological survey at Allesborough, Pershore, Worcestershire – stage 1. Worcester: Worcestershire County Archaeological Service internal report 812Google Scholar
Hurst, J.D., Napthan, M., Pearson, E. 1993. Evaluation at Allesborough Farm, Pershore. Worcester: Hereford and Worcester County Council Archaeological Service internal report 207Google Scholar
Kretz, R. 2006. The silver coinage of Tasciovanos. In P. de Jersey (ed.), Celtic Coinage: new discoveries, new discussion, 183–212. Oxford: British Archaeological Report 1532Google Scholar
Lang, A.T.O., Keen, D.H. 2005. Hominid colonisation and the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic of the West Midlands. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 71, 63–83CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leins, I. 2007. Coins in context: coinage and votive deposition in Iron Age south-east Leicestershire. British Numismatic Journal 77, 22–48Google Scholar
Leins, I. 2008. What can be inferred from the regional stylistic diversity of Iron Age coinage? In D. Garrow, C. Gosden & J.D. Hill (eds), Rethinking Celtic Art, 100–112. Oxford: Oxbow BooksCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leins, I. 2011. The coins. In Score 2011, 39–60CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leins, I. 2012. Numismatic Data Reconsidered: coin distributions and interpretation in studies of late Iron Age Britain. Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of NewcastleGoogle Scholar
Manning, W.H. 1972. Ironwork hoards in Iron Age and Roman Britain. Britannia 3, 224–250CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mattingly, H., Sydenham, E.A., Webb, P.H. 1933. Roman Imperial Coinage, volume 5. London: SpinkGoogle Scholar
Payne, A. 1999. Site of Worcestershire Hoard, Allesborough Farm, Pershore: report on geophysical surveys, April 1994 and November 1998. English Heritage Ancient Monuments Laboratory report 454/99Google Scholar
Priest, V. 2004. Archaeological Evaluations near Hallaton, Leicestershire: assessment report and updated project design. Leicester: University of Leicester Archaeological Services report 2004/051Google Scholar
Priest, V., Hill, J.D., Leins, I. 2006. Community, politics and sacrifice. British Archaeology July/August 2006, 35–39Google Scholar
Rudd, C. 2006. Inamn(uetoutos?) and Ale fe(cit) Scavo. Chris Rudd Sales Catalogue 88, 2–5Google Scholar
Saville, A. 1990. Flint, 43–5 in J. Dinn & J. Evans, Aston Mill Farm, Kemerton: excavation of a ring ditch, middle Iron Age enclosure and grubenhaus. Transactions of the Worcestershire Archaeological Society 3 ser 12, 5–66Google Scholar
Score, V. (ed) 2011. Hoards, Hounds and Helmets: a conquest-period ritual site at Hallaton, Leicestershire. Leicester: Leicester University Archaeology Monograph 21Google Scholar
Sellwood, L. 1984. Tribal boundaries viewed from the perspective of numismatic evidence. In B.W. Cunliffe & D. Miles (eds), Aspects of the Iron Age in Central Southern Britain, 191–204. Oxford: Oxford University Committee for Archaeology monograph 2Google Scholar
Sills, J. 2003. Dobunnic staters: a new sequence. Chris Rudd Sales Catalogue 72, 4–7Google Scholar
Stead, I.M. 1991. The Snettisham treasure: excavations in 1990. Antiquity 65, 447–465CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sutherland, C.H.V., Carson, R.A.G., Bruun, P.M. 1966. Roman Imperial Coinage, volume 7. London: SpinkGoogle Scholar
Talbot, J., Leins, I. 2010. Before Boudicca: the Wickham Market hoard and the middle phase gold coinage of East Anglia. British Numismatic Journal 80, 1–23Google Scholar
Williams, J. 1993a. Coins from the original hoard. In Hurst et al. 1993, 13–14Google Scholar
Williams, J. 1993b. Coins from hoard 2. In Hurst et al., 1993, 14Google Scholar