Staffordshire Hoard
This week marks the first anniversary sine the £3.3 million appeal to save the Staffordshire Hoard for the nation was reached, and to mark the occasion, the new-look www.staffordshirehoard.org.uk/ has been revamped.
The website features star items from the most valuable treasure ever found in the UK with stunning photographs, video footage and a wealth of historic and educational information pulled together for the first time. Over the coming months a gallery of images will also be posted to show the Anglo-Saxon artifacts as they are conserved.
The site has been designed and built by Lichfield District Council, on behalf of Birmingham City Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council, who own the hoard. The site is supported by Staffordshire County Council and Tamworth Borough Council, and includes details of the Mercian Trail Partnership which is seeing all of the authorities work together to use the treasure to raise the profile of the region.
Sections of the site also explore conservation and research processes being used on the hoard, including introductions to the experts who are examining it, what work they will be doing and a blog which will be updated regularly by Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham teams.
The Staffordshire Hoard comprises over 3,700 gold and silver artifacts dating back to the seventh century. They were found by a metal detector enthusiast on a farmer’s field, and are thought to be the high-status booty of an Anglo-Saxon battle, with exquisitely designed sword pommels, helmet fragments and several bejewelled crosses.
A website was launched when the hoard was discovered which gave basic information about what the treasure is and how it was found. But this site has been completely revamped and re-launched in time to mark the anniversary of the hoard being saved. The site also promotes this summer’s regional tour of the hoard, which will see over 40 star items displayed at Lichfield Cathedral, Stafford’s Shire Hall and Tamworth Castle, as well as showing other major Anglo-Saxon discoveries including the Lichfield Angel and St Chad Gospels.
