Small finds

Mount early 1st century AD

This silver mount with gold decoration would have been attached to another object via the holes around the edges. Some of the holes were added after part of the edge was damaged so that it could still be used. This re-use suggests the mount was somebody’s treasured procession.

Silver bowl, early 1st century AD

This beautiful bowl is a unique item from Iron Age Britain. It was found buried carefully on its side with other silver objects in the ditch in what is thought to have been a ritual deposit.

Tankard Handle, early – mid 1st century AD

This is half of a bronze handle from an Iron Age tankard that was found outside the shrine. It is decorated in a typically Iron Age style with flowing lines and small dots.

Semi circular ingot

This silver ingot has been cast into an unusual crescent shape. The protruding ‘knob’ at the top is a casting sprue, the remains of where the molten metal was poured into the mould.

Terminal

This bronze terminal with an iron core may be part of a sceptre. Did an Iron Age priest use this object when conducting ceremonies at the shrine?

Sword chape, mid-late 1st century AD

This is a bronze shape that would have been fitted at the end of a leather sword scabbard or holder. The circular recess would have originally held a piece of enamel.

Colchester Derivative brooch

This type of brooch usually has a hinged pin but here it has been replaced with a more simple sprung pin. This allowed the brooch to continue to be used after the first spring was damaged.

Birdlip brooch mid-1st century AD

This brooch is made of silver with gild decoration.

Brooch spring

This bronze spring has been stretched by force. In Iron Age and Early Roman Britain, objects were sometimes deliberately broken or ‘ritually killed’ before they were buried. Was this to discourage people from digging them up or was it a symbolic act?

Snake’s head bracelet, 1st – 3rd century AD

This is part of a bronze bracelet shaped like a snake’s head. Jewellery decorated with snakes was popular in Britain from the 1st – 3rd century AD.

Glass discs

Were these blue and white glass discs the eyes of a statue worshipped at the shrine? They were found in an area of stained soil with tiny pieces of gold implying the presence of a wooden statue decorated with gold.

Dolphin brooch

This type of brooch is known as a ‘Dolphin’ due to the shape of the head.

Shield dip, 1st century AD

This bronze clip would have held the leather stretched tight over the wooden frame of a shield.

Bronze Age spearhead, around 1500-1250 BC

This spearhead dates from the Middle Bronze Age and implies a long period of activity at the site. It is possible this fragment was dug up during the Roman period and re-deposited as an antique object.

Hinge-headed enamelled brooch

This bronze brooch was originally decorated with enamel.

Lamp, 1st century AD

One of a pair of bronze wings from the back of a Roman lamp.

Cable armlet, 4th century AD

Hallaton continued to be a special place for local people into the 4th century AD as shown by the ritual burial of this bronze armlet with a group of Roman coins.

Gold clasp, 3rd century AD

This is the gold clasp from a Roman necklace or bracelet. It was found buried outside the shrine with other objects and shows the site continued to be the focus of ritual activity for hundreds of years.