Isleham Hoard facts for kids
The Isleham Hoard is a huge collection of over 6,500 pieces of bronze. These items were found in 1959 by two brothers, William and Arthur Houghton. They discovered this amazing treasure near Isleham, a village close to Ely in Cambridgeshire, England.
This incredible find dates back to the Bronze Age, a time when people used bronze for tools and weapons. It is the largest Bronze Age hoard ever found in England. It's also considered one of the most important discoveries from that period.
Contents
What is the Isleham Hoard?
A hoard is a hidden collection of valuable items. The Isleham Hoard is special because it contains so many bronze objects. These items were likely buried together a very long time ago. Experts believe they were hidden around 1000 BCE, during a time called the Wilburton-Wallington Phase of the late Bronze Age.
Discovering the Treasure
In 1959, William and Arthur Houghton were working in a field. They stumbled upon this amazing collection of bronze. Imagine finding thousands of ancient objects buried in the ground! Their discovery helped us learn a lot about people who lived thousands of years ago.
What Was Found?
The Isleham Hoard includes a wide variety of bronze items. Many of them were tools, weapons, or parts of armor. There were also decorative pieces.
Tools and Weapons
Among the many items, archaeologists found:
- Swords: These ancient weapons often had holes where rivets or studs held wooden handles, called hilts, in place.
- Spear-heads: The sharp tips of spears used for hunting or fighting.
- Arrows: Bronze arrowheads.
- Axes: Tools used for chopping wood or as weapons.
- Palstaves: A type of Bronze Age axe head.
- Knives: Smaller cutting tools.
- Daggers: Short, sharp blades.
Decorative Items
Besides tools and weapons, the hoard also contained:
- Armor: Pieces of protective gear.
- Decorative equipment: Some items were likely used to decorate horses or other important objects.
- Sheet bronze fragments: Many small pieces of bronze sheet metal. These might have been scraps or parts of larger items.
Where Can You See It?
Most of the Isleham Hoard is now looked after by the St Edmundsbury Borough Council Heritage Service. Some of these amazing objects are on display for everyone to see. You can find them at the West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village, which is located outside Bury St Edmunds. Other parts of the hoard are kept at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge in Cambridge.
