Abstract

The Salisbury Hoard is an assemblage comprised of over 500 Bronze and Iron Age objects, deposited c. 200-100 B.C.E. Objects found in the hoard, a single deposition event, span a 2000 year period, and include typologies (such as miniature shields, moustaches, and miniature cauldrons) which are exceedingly rare in Britain. However, due to the sensational nature of the hoard’s discovery by illegal metal detectors, and the ensuing public trial, the archaeological implications of the hoard have often been overshadowed by the detective story associated with it. One of the aims of the current project was therefore to study the hoard in order to further our knowledge of Bronze and Iron Age Britain, as the hoard is not only a unique example of hoarding practices from Iron Age Wiltshire, but has many implications as to how Iron Age people viewed their own history and ‘ancient’ objects.