Museum staff describe ‘magical’ moment they uncovered 3,000-year-old Bronze Age hoard
The 3,000-year-old treasure found in Scottish Borders town
- A Bronze Age treasure hoard, named the Peebles Hoard, was discovered in 2020 in the Scottish Borders, comprising of 500 bronze and organic objects dating from 1,000BC-800BC.
- The hoard, acquired by National Museums Scotland, includes rare items such as "rattle pendants", a sword within a wooden scabbard, and bronze buttons.
- Conservation work has revealed rare, silver-coloured objects, attributed to a “deliberate enrichment technique” by ancient craftspeople.
- This silver appearance, previously unknown for the era, is considered "without archaeological parallel anywhere in the world" and likely signified high status and wealth.
- Conservators described the moment the silver colour emerged as "magical", with the full conservation project estimated to take three years to complete.