Dawlish Hoard
You’ve saved the Dawlish Hoard for Devon! The full £12,000 required to buy, conserve and display the treasure has now been raised. Over 200 people made generous donations ensuring that the hoard can be enjoyed by the people of Devon and beyond for generations to come.
Many, many individuals and organisations have contributed. The Headley Trust, Victoria and Albert Museum and Devon County Council have made generous grants. Local groups, including the Friends of Dawlish Library, Newton Abbot District Metal Detecting Club and the Devon Archaeological Society, have all rallied around to show their support by making contributions to the campaign. Exeter jeweller Erin Cox has now stepped in to donate the final £300. The hoard can now be conserved, researched, displayed and shared.
“I’m really happy to be able to support my local museum. RAMM holds a special place in my heart. I spent hours exploring the old RAMM as a child and have some really wonderful memories of my brother and I exploring. My daughter now loves RAMM has probably spent as many hours as me making her own memories in the new RAMM.”
Erin Cox, of Erin Cox Jewellery, Castle Street, Exeter
The final donation was collected by the Friends of RAMM Chairman, Alan Caig who kick started the campaign. Alan started the campaign by running a sponsored half marathon, fortunately he didn’t have to travel as far to collect the final donation from Erin Cox.
About the hoard
The complete hoard
The treasure was discovered in 2017 by metal-detectorists in a boggy field near Dawlish. It had lain buried for about 3,000 years, since the late bronze age. The hoard consists of four gold bracelets, eleven fragments of bronze ingot, two fragments of axe and a section of bronze sword. The hoard was deliberately buried rather than just lost, with the gold bracelets intentionally folded and the ingots and weapons purposely broken. We don’t know why for certain, but from other finds it seems it seems to be relatively common practice. There may have been a practice of ritually ‘killing’ the power of objects by folding or breaking them or perhaps they were made as offerings to gods or ancestors. The combination of gold bracelets with bronze weapons and bronze ingots within the Dawlish Hoard is also unique in the British bronze age, contributing to the find’s importance and intrigue.
What’s next for the hoard?
Now the hoard has been purchased and collected from the British Museum, it is being safely stored at RAMM. It will soon be conserved; the whole hoard requires specialist cleaning and the bronze weapons and ingots need to be stabilised. The curatorial team will research the hoard and create interpretation in RAMM and Dawlish Museum. Suitable mounts and supports for the hoard will be specially designed and built and the hoard will go on display in RAMM’s Courtyard Case as soon as possible.
Support your museum
If you are interested in supporting RAMM’s work, please contact Development Officer, Claire Bailey. RAMM is always seeking support so that it can carry on being a safe place for everyone to enjoy, learn from and be inspired by. The museum cares for over 1 million objects, it curates and hosts thought provoking exhibitions and has an active programme of events and activities. Help us to serve our community. T: 01392 265991 E: [email protected]
Photos by Laura Burnett of the Portable Antiquities Scheme.