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somerset Roman coin hoard The Frome HoardAmassiveceramicjarcontainingover52,000 Roman coins has been discovered by a metal detectorist in a Somerset field – the largest coin hoard ever found in Britain in a single pot. What can it tell us about wealth, ritual and political upheaval in Roman Britain? . not ed ise l ess other w Cou ncil un Somerset County : In April 2010, metal detectorist Dave Crisp discovered some scattered pottery and 21 Roman coins in the middle of a field in Somerset. Soon after that, he heard a ‘funny noise’ through his headphones; digging down, he found the massive ceramic container which had originally held the coins, and which was packed to the top with more.AccordingtoDave,‘Thepotstartedtoemerge from the soil, and it went down from a small neck and got bigger and bigger. It never seemed to end.’ A detectorist never knows on any given day what mightturnup,butwhatiscertainisthatDaveCrisp had no idea that he had just uncovered the largest single pot of Roman coins ever found in Britain. Realising that he had something very, very big on his hands and that professional archaeological help would be needed in order to properly excavate the find, Dave downed his trowel and all photo 12 current archaeology | www.archaeology.co.uk Exeter Bristol frome Bournemouth called Katie Hinds, the Finds Liaison Officer for Wiltshire, who in turn called Anna Booth, the FLO for Somerset. This turned out to be one of the most important decisions ever made by a detectorist in the field, as it allowed for careful excavation of the pot and its contents, ensuring important evidence about the circumstances of its burial eptember 2010 |
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was preserved. It is just these circumstances that are adding curious evidence to what is already a fascinating story. The Frome Hoard, comprised of 52,503 coins from the 3rd century AD, sheds light on the economic crisis and coalition government of the 3rd century – and it is set to rewrite history | Issue 246 books. One of the most important finds within the hoard is a group of over 760 coins of Carausius (AD 286-293), Britain’s break-away Emperor. This is the largest group of his coins ever found, and include five rare silver denarii, the only coins of this type being struck anywhere in the Roman Empire at the time of their making.  above The heavy pot filled to the brim with coins. Note the surviving organic material, either straw or withies, that had been packed around it to protect it in the ground. www.archaeology.co.uk | current archaeology 13

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somerset Roman coin hoard

The Frome HoardAmassiveceramicjarcontainingover52,000 Roman coins has been discovered by a metal detectorist in a Somerset field – the largest coin hoard ever found in Britain in a single pot. What can it tell us about wealth, ritual and political upheaval in Roman Britain?

.

not ed ise l ess other w

Cou ncil un

Somerset County

:

In April 2010, metal detectorist Dave Crisp discovered some scattered pottery and 21 Roman coins in the middle of a field in Somerset. Soon after that, he heard a ‘funny noise’ through his headphones; digging down, he found the massive ceramic container which had originally held the coins, and which was packed to the top with more.AccordingtoDave,‘Thepotstartedtoemerge from the soil, and it went down from a small neck and got bigger and bigger. It never seemed to end.’ A detectorist never knows on any given day what mightturnup,butwhatiscertainisthatDaveCrisp had no idea that he had just uncovered the largest single pot of Roman coins ever found in Britain.

Realising that he had something very, very big on his hands and that professional archaeological help would be needed in order to properly excavate the find, Dave downed his trowel and all photo

12

current archaeology | www.archaeology.co.uk

Exeter

Bristol frome

Bournemouth called Katie Hinds, the Finds Liaison Officer for Wiltshire, who in turn called Anna Booth, the FLO for Somerset. This turned out to be one of the most important decisions ever made by a detectorist in the field, as it allowed for careful excavation of the pot and its contents, ensuring important evidence about the circumstances of its burial eptember 2010 |

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