What are Counterfeit and Contemporary Copy Coins? Coin Copying first appears in Britain right alongside the introduction of coinage with the earliest examples of contemporary copies recorded on the PAS database dating back to the Iron Age (Search results from the database Page: 1 (finds.org.uk)). Counterfeit coins, both contemporary and not, are produced outside the …more
In archaeology, provenance and context are key to understanding an object or site. This is why we at PAS require a minimum 8-figure national grid reference for the finds we record. Most objects recovered by metal detector users are found in the topsoil, already removed from their context by agricultural practices. Occasionally though, finds from …more
During his internship with PAS last year, Danish archaeology student Mathias Kaas recorded a fragmentary brooch, and as brooches are his area of research, he thought it would be a good find to highlight in a blog. He writes: In the summer of 2022, a fascinating archaeological discovery was made by metal detectorist Mr. Artur …more
On the winter solstice, as the year draws to an end, it seems like a good time to look back at some of the most interesting finds recorded by the South and West Yorkshire office this year. The 151 finders who recorded in South and West Yorkshire this year added an amazing 3652 objects to …more
Over the winter period, a collection of artefacts found by members of the York and District Metal Detecting Club were displayed in the Yorkshire Museum Foyer case. This was a great opportunity to get some really amazing finds on display as well as telling some excellent stories from the people who found them. It was …more
Hello! I am Mathias H. Kaas, and I am honored to introduce myself as the latest addition to the Portable Antiquities Scheme team in Yorkshire. I started as an intern in South and West Yorkshire (SWYOR), under the supervision of Finds Liaison Officer, Amy Downes.I am from Denmark and am currently studying my master’s degree …more
You may have noticed that, despite best efforts, some finds are recorded onto the PAS database as unidentified objects. In many such cases, finds are recorded as unidentified after they’ve been looked at by a range of PAS find specialists. Therefore, several of the finds recorded by the North and East Yorkshire team as unidentified …more
We are so lucky to get to see a wide variety of amazing objects in our work. The following are just a few of our favourites from the past six months. This beautiful object is an Anglo-Saxon hanging bowl. It retains all three of its decorative escutcheons which are in the form of stylised animals, possibly …more
My time as a Headley Trust intern with the Portable Antiquities Scheme has come to a close! No more ridiculously long blog posts about coins or pretty spindle whorls from me (for now). I have loved every second of this internship from start to finish. Without it, I would never have explored my love for …more
It’s hard to think of an object that’s more common across centuries of human existence around the world than the humble spindle whorl. Often maligned, these incredible objects are the day-to-day evidence of what many of our ancestors spent a lot of their time doing. Spindle whorls are perforated weights which would have been used …more
