• About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Archaeology News
  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum
Archaeology News
No Result
View All Result
Home News Archaeology

Thetford treasure reveals continued pagan worship in Britain into the 5th century

by Dario Radley
April 23, 2025

A new study of a Roman treasure unearthed in Thetford, East Anglia, challenges centuries of hypotheses about the decline of paganism in Britain. In research published in the Journal of Roman Archaeology, Professor Ellen Swift of the University of Kent argues that the Thetford hoard was buried in the early to mid-5th century CE—several decades later than experts had previously supposed.

Thetford treasure reveals continued pagan worship in Britain into the 5th century
Photo of the rings found in the Thetford Hoard on display at the British Museum. Credit: Wikimedia, GFDL CC-BY-SA

The Thetford hoard, which was discovered in 1979 by a metal detectorist who was trespassing on a building site at Fison’s Way on Gallows Hill, contains 81 objects. These include 22 gold finger rings, a variety of other gold jewelry, and 36 silver strainers or spoons. The treasure is now housed in the British Museum.

Initial work placed the hoard in the late 4th century, but Professor Swift’s latest findings argue that the majority of the pieces were made and used well into the 5th century. Professor Swift told Cambridge University Press that inscriptions on the spoons and other artifacts found at the site show that it was still a center of pagan worship during this period.

The hoard is compared to other artifacts found across the Western Roman Empire, including artifacts from the Hoxne treasure—another 5th-century treasure also housed in the British Museum. At least 17 items in the Thetford hoard can be matched with 5th-century styles, materials, and production techniques evident in continental European finds.

Thetford treasure reveals continued pagan worship in Britain into the 5th century
Multi-gem jewelry from Ephesus, (Pülz Reference Pülz2020, color pl. 26, cat. no. S184, CC BY 4.0)

The jewelry derives from various sources. The finger rings most likely came from northern Italy. A cone necklace with cone-shaped beads points to the Lower Danube. Despite such variety, most of the jewelry shows a shared style of the Roman elite, pointing to the fact that some areas in Britain still adhered to a shared Mediterranean culture despite the fall of the Roman state.

RelatedStories

Rare Roman mosaics found near ancient Ovilava in Austria reveal luxury villa with dolphin artwork

Rare Roman mosaics found near ancient Ovilava in Austria reveal luxury villa with dolphin artwork

June 3, 2025
Roman burial of infant twins in Croatia linked to lead poisoning

Roman burial of infant twins in Croatia linked to lead poisoning

May 31, 2025

Swift says that the economic importance of the hoard increased during its final phase. The shift came after the fall of Roman rule in Britain, when local centers of power would have stepped in to fill the gap. “The site’s economic assets, indicated by the value and variety of the hoard, also show that it may have wielded significant power and authority locally,” Swift said.

The hoard burial near post-Roman timber structures and other discoveries nearby, including coin hoards and shrine remains, support the hypothesis that Thetford might have been a pagan religious center in times of political and social turmoil.

More information: Swift E. (2024). Rethinking the date and interpretation of the Thetford treasure: a 5th-c. hoard of gold jewelry and silver spoons. Journal of Roman Archaeology;37(2):409-448. doi:10.1017/S1047759424000278


Stay updated with us! Follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, and Linkedin, and join our WhatsApp and Telegram channels for the latest in archaeology, all directly on your favorite platforms!
Share2Tweet2ShareShareSend

You May Also Like...

Legend of Dutch basin debunked by science: Spanish treasure fleet silver not entirely authentic
Archaeology

Legend of Dutch basin debunked by science: Spanish treasure fleet silver not entirely authentic

June 8, 2025
Vengeful noblewoman ordered priest’s murder in medieval London
Archaeology

Vengeful noblewoman ordered priest’s murder in medieval London

June 7, 2025
New study reveals how the 3,600-year-old Nebra Sky Disk was crafted
Archaeology

Ancient manufacturing secrets of the Nebra Sky Disc reconstructed by researchers

June 7, 2025
AI reveals Dead Sea Scrolls may be older than previously thought
Archaeology

AI reveals Dead Sea Scrolls may be older than previously thought

June 7, 2025
Carpetani relief reveals hidden power behind Iron Age Spain’s Mediterranean links
Archaeology

Carpetani relief reveals hidden power behind Iron Age Spain’s Mediterranean links

June 6, 2025
Ancient Phrygian royal tomb linked to King Midas’ family unearthed in Gordion, Turkey
Archaeology

Ancient Phrygian royal tomb linked to King Midas’ family unearthed in Gordion, Turkey

June 6, 2025

Comments 0

  1. Editorial Team says:
    55 years ago
    Disclaimer: This website is a science-focused magazine that welcomes both academic and non-academic audiences. Comments are written by users and may include personal opinions or unverified claims. They do not necessarily reflect the views of our editorial team or rely on scientific evidence.
    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow us


Instagram
247K

Facebook
105K

Threads
42K

LinkedIn
12K

Twitter
6K

YouTube
1K
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

May 18, 2025
Secrets of the mysterious Gobi wall revealed: archaeologists uncover imperial purpose behind 200-mile structure

Secrets of the mysterious Gobi wall revealed: archaeologists uncover imperial purpose behind 200-mile structure

May 28, 2025
Ancient Chinese star chart dated to 2,300 years ago may be the oldest ever, challenging astronomy history

Ancient Chinese star chart dated to 2,300 years ago may be the oldest ever, challenging astronomy history

May 17, 2025
maya-collapse-was-transformation-

Ancient DNA reveals Maya collapse was a transformation, not extinction

June 1, 2025
Stunning 1,600-year-old Byzantine mosaic unveiled in the Negev Desert of Israel

Stunning 1,600-year-old Byzantine mosaic unveiled in the Negev Desert of Israel

May 27, 2025
$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius' eruption

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius’ eruption

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado's expedition

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado’s expedition

Legend of Dutch basin debunked by science: Spanish treasure fleet silver not entirely authentic

Legend of Dutch basin debunked by science: Spanish treasure fleet silver not entirely authentic

June 8, 2025
Vengeful noblewoman ordered priest’s murder in medieval London

Vengeful noblewoman ordered priest’s murder in medieval London

June 7, 2025
New study reveals how the 3,600-year-old Nebra Sky Disk was crafted

Ancient manufacturing secrets of the Nebra Sky Disc reconstructed by researchers

June 7, 2025
AI reveals Dead Sea Scrolls may be older than previously thought

AI reveals Dead Sea Scrolls may be older than previously thought

June 7, 2025
Carpetani relief reveals hidden power behind Iron Age Spain’s Mediterranean links

Carpetani relief reveals hidden power behind Iron Age Spain’s Mediterranean links

June 6, 2025

Archaeology News online magazine

Archaeology News is an international online magazine that covers all aspects of archaeology.











Categories

  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • Download
  • Game
  • News
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Paleontology
  • Quiz
  • Tours

Subscribe to our newsletter

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum

About  .  Contact  .  Donation

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved

We use cookies to improve your experience and enable functionality and security of this site. Further detail is available in our Privacy Policy. By accepting all cookies, you consent to our use of cookies and use of data.
OSZAR »