The Beau Street Hoard
Having received initial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund to
acquire the Beau Street hoard, we now hope to be able to show some
of these coins in a new display at the Roman Baths.
The hoard was found close to the Roman Baths
as a large fused block. This was taken to the British Museum for
separation and identification. The process was recorded in a
fascinating time-lapse photographic record which you can see on
the British Museum blog. Most of the coins are
currently still at the British Museum.
There are 17,577 coins in total, made up
largely of denarii and radiates. The early radiates are silver but
the older ones are debased, i e contain less of the precious metal,
and are not in such good condition.
On examination the coins were found to have
been in eight individual animal skin pouches, which had been hidden
in a stone-lined pit in the floor of a Roman building about 150
metres from the Roman Baths. This is unusual, as hoards were
more likely to be buried in isolated, rural locations.
Curators estimate that the hoard was hidden in
about AD270, but intriguingly we don’t know who buried it or
why.
Behind the scenes the project team, made up of
staff from the Roman Baths and some external partners, are working
on the next stage of the HLF application.
If you haven’t yet seen any of the coins come
along to our temporary display in the Sun Lounge of the Pump
Room/Roman Baths complex.
There is also a selection of coins from the
hoard on show in the Citi Money Gallery at the British Museum.
The hoard is due to be valued by the Treasure
Valuation Committee at the end of May. We will then know how much
money needs to be raised to enable it to be bought by Bath &
North East Somerset Council for conservation and display at the
Roman Baths.
If you run or belong to a community or history
group and would like us to come and give an illustrated talk on the
hoard, please contact us!
Ask at reception or phone us on 01225 477773, or email us at
RomanBaths_Enquiries@bathnes.gov.uk
If you would like to help with a
donation please phone the Roman Baths Administrator on
+44 (0)1225 477773 with your credit card details, or send a cheque
made payable to ‘Bath & North East Somerset Council’ to:
The Roman Baths
Pump Room
Stall Street
BATH
BA1 1LZ
Read about the Beau Street Hoard in
the British Museum blog
http://blog.britishmuseum.org/category/conservation-2/beau-street-hoard/
Read a press
release here
Coins from the Beau street hoard