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The Hoard on Tour 2011 is now over. Thank you for your support! We had over 20,000 visitors during the three weeks of the Shire Hall Gallery's exhibition!
About The Hoard
Staffordshire, 2009: A solitary man with a metal detector makes an astounding discovery in a farmer's field - over 3,500 items of gold and silver with precious stone decorations. Now world famous, the Staffordshire Hoard is so much more than a collection of Anglo-Saxon war booty - it's the legacy of craftsmen whose artistry fashioned precious metals and gemstones into incredibly detailed sword hilt fittings, helmet parts and other items. It's also the story of kings, religious men and their warriors, who carried these pieces into battle, who fell, and were later stripped of their finery.
The Staffordshire Hoard is an unparalleled treasure find dating from Anglo-Saxon times. The hoard contains in excess of 1500 objects made from various metals - 5kg of gold and 1.3kg of silver.
This hoard is perhaps the most important collection of Anglo-Saxon objects found in England. It compares and perhaps exceeds those objects found at Sutton Hoo. It was originally discovered by metal detectorist Terry Herbert in July 2009 and subsequently excavated by Birmingham University Archaeology Unit and Staffordshire County Council.
www.staffordshirehoard.org.uk|
 Drawings by acclaimed illustrator David Hobbs form part of the Staffordshire Hoard on Tour exhibition. A professional artist based near Hastings, East Sussex, David specialises in historical illustrations and maps but his subjects also include wildlife, architecture and landscapes. His work in pen and watercolour have been included in children’s books and have been on display at exhibitions across the country. His Anglo-Saxon illustrations were specially commissioned for the Staffordshire Hoard on Tour.
David said: "I have followed the news stories on the Hoard with great interest since its discovery. As an illustrator of historical reconstructions it conjured up all sorts of mysteries and possible scenarios for its burial. So when I was asked to supply illustrations to accompany the interpretive panels, I jumped at the chance. I think I am very privileged to have been asked to do this work and to have my illustrations placed alongside such a wondrous array of artefacts from what we hitherto knew as the Dark Ages."
Black and white copies of David's illustrations are available for children to colour. Download them here: Staffordshire Hoard Colouring Sheets|
Make a Donation
If you would like to make a contribution towards the conservation of the Hoard as well as research, analysis and ongoing display, Donate online| or telephone the Gallery on 01785 278345.
Staffordshire is a county of amazing history and cultural richness. The Staffordshire Hoard is the just the beginning of an incredible journey of discovery.
To find out more about Stafford, where to stay and what to do when you visit, view the Enjoy Staffordshire| website or call Stafford's Tourist Information team on 01785 619619.
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