Amy Downes and Rebecca Griffiths’ new book ’50 Finds from Yorkshire: Objects from the Portable Antiquities Scheme’ has recently been published.

50 Finds from Yorkshire considers the spectacular and the everyday finds which help to reveal Yorkshire’s hidden past. The region has been at the heart of English History for over 2,000 years and has been shaped by Roman and Viking invaders and the conflicts of the Wars of the Roses and the English Civil Wars.

Objects found by the public and recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme have produced some of the most important discoveries from the region in recent times. These finds have helped to refine our understanding of Yorkshire’s history and the lives of the people who lived there. Ranging from spectacular hoards of silver buried by the Vikings, to unique Celtic fittings which show that people in Yorkshire had their own style, these finds can be woven into the narrative of the past. They also get us closer than ever to the ordinary people, with seals naming individuals and trader’s tokens identifying occupations. There are also tantalising glimpses of the Roman cult of Mithras being active in rural Yorkshire. Every object found is another thread in the rich tapestry that is the history of Yorkshire.

50 finds from Yorkshire highlights these amazing discoveries and explores how they help to define our understanding of one of the most significant areas of Britain.