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Metal Detecting Discussions => Metal Detecting Stories => Topic started by: 1morecoin on November 01, 2008, 09:35:28 PM



Title: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: 1morecoin on November 01, 2008, 09:35:28 PM
I apologise if you have heard about this before but I hope it is still as interesting today as it was when i first found it.
Back in December 2000 after some research I decided to ask permission to detect a field that had some type of Roman building on it, my friend and I were given permission but were told that Cardiff Scan Club had detected on this field for 20 years, so as you can imagine our bubble had burst, but as we were there we decided to detect anyway, my friend went off in his straight lines as always, i let my mind take me where ever it felt as normal, after about 15 mins I approached the edge of a raised area and had a signal which then disappeared, but the signal was still ringing in the headphones, if you have ever had a Minelab Sovereign you will know what i mean, i think they call it pitch hold, anyway i had a signal which was ringing in the headphones but i could not find it again to pinpoint, i was just about to walk away and the same thing happened again, after a few mins I was just about to carry on detecting when I thought to myself that there must be something there to give me a signal so i scraped some of the soil away and tried again, this time I had a clear signal.
I dug down to about 10" and checked the hole and the signal was very strong, but I could not see anything in the hole, just bed rock, it was beginning to rain and was about 1 hour away from darkness, I was cold and damp and was about to fill the hole in when I saw a piece of pottery lying in the hole, I picked the piece of pottery up and called my friend over, I asked him if it was a bit of Roman pottery and as he looked at the piece of pottery I looked into the hole and could see the lip of a pot, my friend run his Explorer over the hole and said to me you have found a hoard, I said it is probably a burial urn, but it seemed a bit small for a burial urn, I put my fingers into the darker soil in the pot and after a couple of scoops i started pulling coins out, this is the feeling you will never forget, coin after coin after coin, the pot unfortunately did not come out in one piece but is 90% complete,the person who had buried them had removed some bed rock and had put them in this hole which was 17" deep and had been missed by the plough and had probably been below the floor boards of the house, they were recorded with the Museum and are currently on display in the museum.
The Hoard consisted of 103 Silver Denarii of all the Emperors from Nero to Antoninus Pius including Galba, Otho & Titus and also a Rare issue of Trajans sister Diva Marciana and up untill recently was the most important Hoard of its type to be found in Wales in 40 years.

Not the most important find I have had but one that I will never forget.

I hope you enjoy the story & keep at it, guys

Steve.[/right]


Title: Re: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: PHIL YNYSBOETH on November 01, 2008, 10:06:07 PM
Hi Steve

Well worth telling again ive never heared it
If thats not your most important find then what is ?

Please tell

Regards
Phil Jones
(RARE)



Title: Re: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: 1morecoin on November 01, 2008, 10:26:28 PM
Hi  Phil,  I used to be in R.A.R.E about 8 years ago but after getting lost going to a meeting i give up on the club, thats when I joined the Scan Club.
My most important find came after finding the first Viking Sword to be recorded in Wales which unfortunately is not much to look at being made of iron but had me shaking for a few days, found in the Vale which is surprising.
But Llanmaes is the place where the big one came from, I found a load of axes and other bronze artefacts plus a large amount of bones and after 5 years of excavations, this site has turned up worked gold pieces, a rare Silver Stater and has turned out to be one of the most important late Bronze Age/ Iron Age sites in Europe.

I can't see me beating this one.

But you never know.

All the best,

Steve.     


Title: Re: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: PHIL YNYSBOETH on November 01, 2008, 10:43:29 PM
Very impressive Steve
You should be proud of that little lot

It seams theres a few Viking Pieces being Discovered Lately amazing to think they came this far into Wales.
Something Viking (cant remember what it was) was found by a club member near Brecon not so long back


Good luck not that you need any Judging by your quality finds  lol

Regards Phil Jones


Title: Re: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: 1morecoin on November 01, 2008, 10:54:48 PM
Thanks Phil.


Title: Re: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: Al.Thepastfinder, ( Alan ) on November 02, 2008, 08:45:18 AM
Hello Steve,   we have spoke down there years ago, 3 of us used to go near to you down there,
  a great story, and that feeling you got, just let it take where ever is a great one too isn't it.
 Not long before you found that hoard we were there oppostite the pub at the start of the road, grass fields,    i looked down the way and noticed a tractor ploughing or harrowing further down,   i knew of the bit of history there and said to the boys come on we should be down there.   lets go and see the farmer see if we can get on,
 but the one who was driving didn;t want too know, he hates facing farmers,  i said i'd ask, but we got to be there, narrrr he wouldn't have it ????  i asked him a few times  but with no luck. :'(
  i few weeks later i read about your hoard from there Dohhh,
 well done too,
Alan


Title: Re: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: BottyBurp (Kris) on November 02, 2008, 03:17:33 PM
Nice one Steve, I can  only imagine what it must of felt like.
Any chane of some piccys please?
BB


Title: Re: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: 1morecoin on November 02, 2008, 11:38:04 PM
I have some pics of the Hoard, but they are not on the computer at the moment so i will have to scan them.

Will try and load them tomorrow.

Steve.


Title: Re: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: 1morecoin on November 04, 2008, 01:28:13 PM
some pics of the Hoard & excavation site.


Title: Re: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: 1morecoin on November 04, 2008, 01:29:36 PM
the landowner, myself and Evan from the museum.


Title: Re: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: 1morecoin on November 04, 2008, 01:30:38 PM
Evan clearing & measuring the depth of hole.


Title: Re: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: 1morecoin on November 04, 2008, 01:31:34 PM
The Hoard on display in Cardiff Museum.


Title: Re: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: 1morecoin on November 04, 2008, 01:34:11 PM
The site being excavated & filmed for Channel 4, note the thickness of the walls, quite a substantial building, this used to be a Scan Club Site, shame we lost it when the Landowner moved.


Title: Re: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: KenKelowna on November 04, 2008, 01:40:59 PM
1morecoin.
What a great story, I love to hear those stories from hunted out sites.
Well done. :)


Title: Re: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: PHIL YNYSBOETH on November 04, 2008, 03:55:29 PM
Hi Steve
Looking at your pictures I must have seen your coins in Cardiff Museum 10 or 20 times in the pass
But now i know the story Behind them it i makes then even more interesting if that was possible

Thanks Phil Jones


Title: Re: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: Johnboy25 on September 12, 2013, 11:19:27 AM
Just found this old post on the Monknash hoard , made my mouth water ,what a great find. Are the coins still on display in Cardiff museum. Nice to look back on some of the old post.


Title: Re: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: celticspikey on September 12, 2013, 01:59:38 PM
I apologise if you have heard about this before but I hope it is still as interesting today as it was when i first found it.
Back in December 2000 after some research I decided to ask permission to detect a field that had some type of Roman building on it, my friend and I were given permission but were told that Cardiff Scan Club had detected on this field for 20 years, so as you can imagine our bubble had burst, but as we were there we decided to detect anyway, my friend went off in his straight lines as always, i let my mind take me where ever it felt as normal, after about 15 mins I approached the edge of a raised area and had a signal which then disappeared, but the signal was still ringing in the headphones, if you have ever had a Minelab Sovereign you will know what i mean, i think they call it pitch hold, anyway i had a signal which was ringing in the headphones but i could not find it again to pinpoint, i was just about to walk away and the same thing happened again, after a few mins I was just about to carry on detecting when I thought to myself that there must be something there to give me a signal so i scraped some of the soil away and tried again, this time I had a clear signal.
I dug down to about 10" and checked the hole and the signal was very strong, but I could not see anything in the hole, just bed rock, it was beginning to rain and was about 1 hour away from darkness, I was cold and damp and was about to fill the hole in when I saw a piece of pottery lying in the hole, I picked the piece of pottery up and called my friend over, I asked him if it was a bit of Roman pottery and as he looked at the piece of pottery I looked into the hole and could see the lip of a pot, my friend run his Explorer over the hole and said to me you have found a hoard, I said it is probably a burial urn, but it seemed a bit small for a burial urn, I put my fingers into the darker soil in the pot and after a couple of scoops i started pulling coins out, this is the feeling you will never forget, coin after coin after coin, the pot unfortunately did not come out in one piece but is 90% complete,the person who had buried them had removed some bed rock and had put them in this hole which was 17" deep and had been missed by the plough and had probably been below the floor boards of the house, they were recorded with the Museum and are currently on display in the museum.
The Hoard consisted of 103 Silver Denarii of all the Emperors from Nero to Antoninus Pius including Galba, Otho & Titus and also a Rare issue of Trajans sister Diva Marciana and up untill recently was the most important Hoard of its type to be found in Wales in 40 years.

Not the most important find I have had but one that I will never forget.

I hope you enjoy the story & keep at it, guys

Steve.[/right]
Great story Steve, that's got my duices going,  ::)


Title: Re: The Monknash Hoard
Post by: probono on September 12, 2013, 02:18:51 PM
I remember seeing the reports in the newspaper about it - I think it spurred me on to almost ask in 2000 for permission to detect - but foot and mouth put paid to that.....


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