Knaresborough hoard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Knaresborough Hoard |
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A copper alloy strainer from the hoard
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| Created | 300-410 |
| Period/culture | Roman |
| Discovered | 1860 near Knaresborough, North Yorkshire |
| Present location | Roman Gallery, Yorkshire Museum, York |
| Identification | YORYM: H144 |
The Knaresborough Hoard is a special collection of ancient metal objects. These items were made by the Romans and found near Knaresborough, in North Yorkshire, England. It is the biggest collection of copper alloy pots and pans ever found in Britain!
How the Hoard Was Found
The Knaresborough Hoard was discovered in 1860. Some men were working on a land drain (a ditch to remove water) when they found it. At first, people thought it was found right in Knaresborough. But newer studies suggest it was probably found in a place called Farnham, which is just north of Knaresborough.
A man named Rev Canon James Raine gave a talk in 1876. He said the workers brought the hoard "in a large sack" to Thomas Gott. Mr. Gott later gave eight of these amazing Roman pots to the Yorkshire Museum in 1864.
What's Inside the Hoard?
The Knaresborough Hoard is a mix of different metal items. Most of them are made from a metal called copper alloy. This is a mix of copper and other metals, like bronze.
The hoard includes:
- A large, fancy bowl with ridges.
- Six round bowls, like the ones found in a place called Irchester.
- Four strainers with handles, used for draining liquids.
- A strainer bowl.
- A pan with a handle.
- Two flat plates.
- A scale pan, which is part of a weighing scale.
- A big jar shaped like a pottery pot.
There are also some iron objects in the hoard. These include two iron axes, an adze (a tool like an axe but with a blade at right angles), and a smith's cross (a tool used by metalworkers).
Experts believe the hoard was buried around the 4th century AD. They figured this out by comparing some of the items to similar silver objects found in other Roman hoards.
When the hoard was first found, it was much bigger! Thomas Gott, the man who received the hoard, was an ironmonger (someone who sells metal goods). Sadly, one of his workers accidentally melted down many Roman items. The worker thought they were just old scrap metal! Because of this, the original hoard also had more copper alloy plates, dishes, bowls, a "great quantity" of iron nails, and even a fire grate.
Where You Can See It
The parts of the Knaresborough Hoard that survived were given to the Yorkshire Museum in two groups. The first group was given in 1864, and the second in 1876.
If you visit the Yorkshire Museum today, you can see these ancient treasures. A museum guide from 1881 says the hoard was on display in the 'Antiquities' room. This room was in the Hospitium, a building in the York Museum Gardens.
