NHER 5395 (Find Spot record) - The Hockwold Treasure

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Summary

A hoard of seven silver Roman cups and handles discovered in 1962. The cups were found crushed and dismantled, and have been carefully reconstructed by the British Museum where they are on display. One cup is decorated in relief with vine leaves and olives, and two other cups have engraved Bacchic motifs.

Protected Status/Designation

None recorded

Location

Map sheet	TL68NE
Civil Parish	HOCKWOLD CUM WILTON, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full Description

February 1962. Approximately 1/4 mile southwest of Blackdyke Farm.
Found about 61cm (2ft) deep in peat while cutting section across suspected ancient roadway.
5 dismembered silver wine cups; had had pedestalled bases and handles removed. Some were packed in 2 of the cups which were folded over the contents. Other 3 cups also bent.
Cup A plain, cup E possibly decorated, cups F and H identical with incised decoration of vines and olives. 2 bases with palmeted decoration, 3 plain, 2 pairs of handles, identical and decorated with 'ivy on stone' decoration. 1 pair with dolphins, 1 pair with scrolls, 1 pair plain.
Shown to [1], parallels with Hildesheim, Boscoreale, Berthouville, and Welwyn (Hertfordshire).
Found by Frank Curtis, now in British Museum (Prehistoric and Romano-British Antiquities), NCM () has animal bones and undated sherd.
(S1) by E.B. Green (NCM).

See drawings (S3, S4, S5 and S6) in the Illustration Library.

1981.
Reconstructed by British Museum lab,see (S2).

E. Rose (NAU).

Conservation work revealed that there are seven, not five cups.
E. Rose (NAU) 31 October 1988

Associated Sources (22)

--- SNF61846 Article in Serial: Green, E.B.. 1962. The Hockwold Treasure.. Apollo. Vol LXXVI.
--- SNF6515 Article in Serial: Johns, C. 1986. The Roman Silver Cups from Hockwold. Archaeologia. Vol 108 (Second Series) pp 1-13. p 2.
--- SNF61838 Correspondence: Various. 1962. Letters.
--- SNF61850 Newspaper Article: 1962. [Photograph of The Hockwold Treasure]. 24 February.
--- SNF61843 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1962. [Articles on The Hockwold Treasure].
--- SNF61854 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1981. Display after 20 years of Hockwold treasure. 25 June.
--- SNF61839 Newspaper Article: Eastern Evening News. 1962. [Articles on The Hockwold Treasure].
--- SNF61853 Newspaper Article: Eastern Evening News. 1981. Hockwold treasure on show - after 20 years. 25 June.
--- SNF61841 Newspaper Article: Evening Standard. 1962. Roman crinimal's loot found. 9 February.
--- SNF61842 Newspaper Article: The Daily Telegraph. 1962. Farmworker finds A.D. 50 Roman cups. 10 February.
--- SNF61840 Newspaper Article: The Times. 1962. Roman silver hoard found in wood. 9 February.
--- SNF10259 Photograph: Ashley, H.. NCM CM1204 to CM1209.
--- SNF87260 Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Roman. Hockwold Cum Wilton [2].
--- SNF8804 Secondary File: Secondary File.
--- SNF61844 Unpublished Document: Bamford, H.. 1962. The Hockwold Treasure (metal analysis). 14 February.
--- SNF61845 Unpublished Document: Clarke, R.R.. 1962. Evidence of R.R. Clarke at H.M. Coroner's Inquest on a hoard of metal objects found at Hockwold, Norfolk. 20 February.
<S1> SNF57722 Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
<S2> SNF61852 Photograph: British Museum. PS 112447 to 112454.
<S3> SNF80814 Illustration: Unknown. 1965. Drawings of Roman silver cup decorations.. Card. 1:1.
<S4> SNF91522 Illustration: Unknown. 1965. Drawings of Roman silver cup decorations.. Card. 1:1.
<S5> SNF91523 Illustration: Unknown. 1965. Drawings of Roman silver cup decorations.. Card. 1:1.
<S6> SNF91524 Illustration: Unknown. 1965. Drawings of Roman silver cup decorations.. Card. 1:1.

Site and Feature Types and Periods (1)

FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Object Types (3)

ANIMAL REMAINS (Undated)
DRINKING VESSEL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
HOARD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Related NHER Records (0)

Find out more...(1)

Hockwold cum Wilton (Parish Summary)

Record last edited

May 20 2020 8:59AM