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Metal Detectorist Finds Bronze Age Artefacts Less Than A Metre Underground

Metal Detectorist Finds Bronze Age Artefacts Less Than A Metre Underground

Archaeologists have said they are 'nationally significant'

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A metal detectorist has unearthed a rare hoard of 'nationally significant' Bronze Age artefacts in Scotland.

Mariusz Stepien was out detecting with his pals in a near field near Peebles when he came across a bronze item buried just half a metre below the ground.

Archaeologists then spent 22 days investigating the items in situ, even setting up a little shelter to protect the haul from the weather.

Treasure Trove Unit/@TTUScotland

They discovered a complete horse harness, which had been preserved by the soil, and a sword that dates back to 1,000 to 900 BC. They also found numerous other items including buckles, rings and decorated straps.

Stepien and his mates also camped out in the area to keep up to date with developments.

He told the BBC: "I will never forget those 22 days spent in the field. Every day there were new objects coming out which changed the context of the find, every day we learned something new.

"I'm so pleased that the earth revealed to me something that was hidden for 3,000 years. I still can't believe it happened."

The items have now been taken to the National Museums Collection Centre in Edinburgh.

Emily Freeman, head of the Treasure Trove Unit, said: "This is a nationally significant find - so few Bronze Age hoards have been excavated in Scotland.

Detectorist Mariusz Stepien.
Crown Office Communications/PA

"It was an amazing opportunity for us to not only recover bronze artefacts, but organic material as well.

"There is still a lot of work to be done to assess the artefacts and understand why they were deposited."

Just last week, a fellow detectorist in Lindsey, Suffolk, found an incredible hoard of silver civil war era coins said to be worth at least £100,000 ($130,000) in a field behind his local pub.

Luke Mahoney camped out for three nights after making the find to ensure the treasure was safe from any rival 'nighthawk detectorists'.

Luke said: "We did some detecting in the morning and found a beautiful gold coin and a little sixpence and then we went and had lunch at the pub.

"We went back out to the fields and almost immediately I hit a signal and I pulled out this Charles I coin. Then I hit another signal, and another."

Featured Image Credit: Crown Office Communications/PA

Topics: UK News, Scotland