Iron Age and Roman Coin Hoards in Britain

More coin hoards have been recorded from Roman Britain than from any other province of the Empire. This comprehensive and lavishly illustrated volume provides a survey of over 3260 hoards of Iron Age and Roman coins found in England and Wales with a detailed analysis and discussion.Theories of hoarding and deposition and examined, national and regional patterns in the landscape settings of coin hoards presented, together with an analysis of those hoards whose findspots were surveyed and of those hoards found in archaeological excavations. It also includes an unprecedented examination of the containers in which coin hoards were buried and the objects found with them. The patterns of hoarding in Britain from the late 2nd century BC to the 5th century AD are discussed. The volume also provides a survey of Britain in the 3rd century AD, as a peak of over 700 hoards are known from the period from AD 253–296. This has been a particular focus of the project which has been a collaborative research project between the University of Leicester and the British Museum funded by the AHRC. The aim has been to understand the reasons behind the burial and non-recovery of these finds. A comprehensive online database underpins the project, which also undertook a comprehensive GIS analysis of all the hoards and field surveys of a sample of them.

“"[The volume] suggests that the evidence does not support a simple unitary explanation of the pattern of hoarding, but points to multiple possible motivations (e.g. economic, religious or ritual)."”

The online database is here analysed with informative maps, diagrams and tables, seeking answers to what, when, where and why. British Archaeology
Filled with maps, graphs, and imagies of both spectacular and not-so-spectacular hoards, this is clearly an ambitious piece of work and should be considerd essential reading for anyone interested in the phenomenon. Current Archaeology
Altogether the work is an exceptional illustration of the successes that digital approaches to the ancient world can produce. Bland, Chadwick, Ghey, and Haselgrove deserve the highest praise for their contributions to hoard studies and for advancing understanding of the complexities of Iron Age and Roman Britain. Bryn Mawr Classical Review
The presentation is excellent and the treatment of the subject is comprehensive and exhaustive...sets a model for other studies from other periods and for this alone the team who have produced this volume are to be thanked and congratulated. Archaeologia Cambrensis - Cambrian Archaeological Association

Roger Bland was President of the British Numismatic Society from 2011 to 2016. He retired from the British Museum in 2015, where he was Keeper of the Department of Britain, Europe and Prehistory and Head of the Portable Antiquities Scheme. Before that he was curator of Roman coins at the Museum. Dr Adrian Chadwick is a Teaching Fellow in Archaeology at the University of Bristol and was a Research Associate in the Hoarding Project. He holds a PhD from the University of ales and his main research interests are My research focuses on landscape archaeology, and aspects of Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman Britain and Europe; particularly field systems and land allotment, rural settlement, the archaeology of upland areas, and of coastal communities. Eleanor Ghey is a curator in the Department of Coins and Medals at the British Museum with responsibility for the Iron Age and Coin Hoards reported as potential Treasure under the Treasure Act 1996. Her role involves reporting and advising on new discoveries and she has published research on hoards from the British Isles and a number of site assemblages. Her background and doctoral research are in archaeology and she has worked at a number of UK museums prior to joining the British Museum in 2007. Professor of Archaeology, Univ of Leicester.

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