Horsehope Craig Hoard facts for kids
The Horsehope Hoard is an amazing collection of Bronze Age objects found in Scotland in 1864. A "hoard" is a hidden stash of valuable items. This particular hoard gives us clues about life in Scotland thousands of years ago!
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The Horsehope Hoard: An Ancient Scottish Treasure
The Horsehope Hoard is also known as the Horse Hope Craig Hoard. It was discovered way back in 1864. This special collection of items comes from the Bronze Age, a time when people used bronze to make tools and weapons.
What is a Hoard?
A hoard is like a hidden treasure chest from the past. People in ancient times would sometimes bury valuable objects. They might do this to keep them safe, or as an offering, or perhaps they planned to come back for them later. When archaeologists find a hoard, it's like opening a time capsule!
How Was It Found?
The Horsehope Hoard was found by a shepherd. He was working on a hill called Horse Hope Craig. This hill is located near Manor Water, south of Peebles in Scotland. The shepherd found the objects hidden under a stone. The stone was in an area of loose rocks, called scree. A local farmer, Mr. Linton, checked the area carefully but didn't find any more items.
What Was Inside the Hoard?
Experts believe the objects in the hoard were parts of a cart and a horse harness. These items would have been used with horses for transport. The objects are very old, dating back to the 7th and 6th centuries BC. That's about 2,600 to 2,700 years ago!
The hoard included:
- Fifteen bronze rings
- A bronze rapier (a type of sword)
- Other bronze objects
- A special axe made of bronze
Where Are These Treasures Now?
Most of the objects from the hoard were given to the Peebles Museum. This museum is now called the Tweeddale Museum and Gallery. The bronze axe was sent to the National Museum of Scotland. It was described as a "socketed axe," which means it had a hollow part where a wooden handle would fit.
Why Is This Hoard Important?
The Horsehope Hoard is very important because it's quite rare. In 2020, another Bronze Age hoard was found near Peebles. This new find is called the Peebles Hoard. When it was discovered, a newspaper called The Scotsman said that the Horsehope Hoard was the "only one type of similar hoard known from Scotland." This shows how unique and valuable the Horsehope Hoard is for understanding Scotland's ancient past.
