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The Pershore Hoards and Votive Deposition in the Iron Age

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 October 2013

Derek Hurst  and
Ian Leins
Derek Hurst
Affiliation:
Worcestershire Archive & Archaeology Service, Worcestershire County Council, The Hive, Sawmill Walk, The Butts, Worcester WR1 3PB
Ian Leins
Affiliation:
Department of Coins and Medals, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG
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Abstract

A large hoard of Iron Age coins was discovered by metal-detecting at Pershore, Worcestershire, in 1993. During small-scale archaeological excavation further Iron Age coins were recovered, including a likely second hoard. Further fieldwork in the same vicinity as the hoard(s) produced more Iron Age finds, including more coins, and a possible fragment of a twisted wire gold torc. In total 1494 Iron Age gold and silver coins were recovered. Geophysical survey indicated that the hoard(s) lay at the southern end of an extensive area of settlement which, based on the fieldwalking evidence, was mainly of Iron Age and Roman date. This covered an overall area of c. 10 ha, within which several areas of more intensive activity were defined, including enclosures and possible round-houses. It is suggested that the coin hoard(s) indicate the location of a Late Iron Age religious space in an elevated landscape position situated on the edge of a settlement which continued into the Roman period. As part of the archaeological strategy, specialist deep-search metal-detecting was undertaken in order to establish that the site has now been completely cleared of metalwork caches

Résumé

Trésors et dépôts votifs de Pershore à l’âge du fer, de Derek Hurst et Ian Leins

Un important trésor de monnaies de l’âge du fer a été découvert par détecteur de métaux à Pershore dans le Worcestershire en 1993. Au cours de fouilles archéologiques à petite échelle, d'autres monnaies de l’âge du fer furent découvertes, y compris un probable second trésor. Des prospections supplémentaires dans la même zone que le/les trésor/s ont révélé d'autres trouvailles de l’âge du fer, y compris plus de monnaies et un éventuel fragment d'un torque en fil d'or torsadé. En tout 1494 monnaies d'or et d'argent de l’âge du fer ont été recouvrées. Une prospection géophysique a indiqué que le/les trésor/s se situait/aient à l'extrémité sud d'une zone d'occupation étendue qui, sur la base des témoignages des travaux d'arpentage, datait essentiellement de l’âge du fer et de la période romaine. Elle couvrait en tout une surface d'environ 10 ha, à l'intérieur de laquelle ont été définies plusieurs zones d'activité plus intensive, y compris des enceintes et d’éventuelles maisons rondes. On a proposé que la/les caches de monnaies indiquait/aien/t l'emplacement d'un espace religieux de la fin de l’âge du fer situé en position élevée dans un paysage en hauteur en bordure d'une occupation qui s'est prolongée jusque dans la période romaine. Dans le cadre de la stratégie archéologique, on a entrepris des recherches spécialisées approfondies avec détecteur de métaux afin d’établir qu'on avait bien dégagé du site toutes les caches de métaux

Zusammenfassung

Die Pershore Horte und Votivdeponierungen der Eisenzeit, von Derek Hurst und Ian Leins

Ein großer Hort eisenzeitlicher Münzen wurde 1993 von Sondengängern bei Pershore, Worcestershire, entdeckt. Während einer kleinräumigen archäologischen Ausgrabung wurden weitere eisenzeitliche Münzen gefunden, darunter auch ein möglicher zweiter Hort. Weitere Untersuchungen im Umfeld des bzw. der Horte lieferten zusätzliche Funde aus der Eisenzeit, darunter ebenfalls Münzen sowie ein mögliches Fragment eines goldenen Torques aus gedrehtem Draht. Insgesamt wurden 1494 eisenzeitliche Gold- und Silbermünzen geborgen. Ein geographischer Survey deutet an, dass der/die Horte am südlichen Ende eines ausgedehnten Siedlungsgebiets liegen, das, wie Feldbegehungen zeigen, vor allem in die Eisen- und römische Zeit datiert. Dieses Gebiet erstreckt sich insgesamt über ungefähr 10 Hektar, worin mehrere Areale mit intensiveren Aktivitäten unterschieden werden können, darunter auch Befestigungen und möglichen Rundhäusern. Es wird vorgeschlagen, dass der/die Münzhorte die Existenz eines späteisenzeitlichen religiösen Raums in einer erhöhten Landschaftsposition anzeigen, am Rand eines Siedlungsraums, der in der römischen Zeit weiter genutzt wurde. Als Teil der archäologischen Forschungsstrategie wurde eine spezialisierte tiefgehende Metallsuche durchgeführt um sicherzustellen, dass der Fundplatz nun völlig frei von Metallfunden ist

Resumen

Los tesoros de Pershore y la deposición votiva durante la Edad del Hierro, por Derek Hurst y Ian Leins

Una gran acumulación de monedas de la Edad del Hierro se descubrió mediante detector de metales en Pershore, Worcestershire, en 1993. Durante una pequeña intervención arqueológica se descubrió un mayor número de monedas, incluyendo una segunda acumulación. Una intervención arqueológica más extensa en la misma zona donde se descubrieron los depósitos, produjo un mayor número de hallazgos de la Edad del Hierro, incluyendo más monedas y fragmentos de un torque de oro de alambres trenzados. En total se registraron 1494 monedas de oro y plata de la Edad del Hierro. La prospección geofísica reveló que las acumulaciones se encontraban en el extremo sur de una extensa área de asentamiento que, basándose en la evidencia superficial de campo, se datan principalmente en la Edad del Hierro y época romana. El asentamiento abarca un área aproximada de 10 hectáreas, dentro de la cual se definieron áreas de actividad más intensiva, incluyendo cercados y posibles cabañas de planta redonda. Se sugiere que la(s) acumulación(es) de monedas indican la localización de un especio religioso del final de la Edad del Hierro en una zona elevada del paisaje, situado en uno de los márgenes del asentamiento que perdura en época romana. Como parte de la estrategia arqueológica, se llevó a cabo una búsqueda especializada en la detección de metales a gran profundidad con la finalidad de establecer que el sitio no se localizaba ningún otro hallazgo metálico

Keywords

Iron Agecoin hoardvotive depositWorcestershire
Type
Articles
Information
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society , Volume 79 , December 2013 , pp. 297 - 325
Copyright
Copyright © The Prehistoric Society 2013 

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