Whereas trying to find artifacts in a secluded spot within the West London borough of Hillingdon in August 2020, a workforce of archaeologists assigned to the HS2 high-speed rail challenge hit the jackpot, each figuratively and actually in archaeological phrases. The Hillingdon Hoard is a “once-in-a-lifetime discover” and one of the crucial vital collections of Iron Age cash found on British soil thus far.

The Hillingdon Hoard was found after a storm partially uncovered the traditional assortment of potins. (HS2)

Discovering Uncommon Potins within the Dust: Unearthing the Hillingdon Hoard

Based on the HS2 website, the Excessive Pace 2 (HS2) challenge is the event of a “new excessive pace railway linking up London, the Midlands, the North and Scotland” which is ready to attach “round 30 million individuals.” Upfront of the work, set to happen over a number of phases till completion in 2035, the group is conducting exploratory excavations.

Throughout excavations, they noticed a set of spherical objects mendacity unfastened on the bottom. Though the small objects have been caked with dust, they nonetheless shone by sufficient to be recognized as one thing metallic. After a better examination, the archaeologists realized they have been taking a look at cash of a extremely uncommon kind.

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The imagery inscribed on the cash revealed that they have been an particularly historical coin, of a form that had been manufactured in Britain manner again within the 1st and 2nd centuries BC. These kinds of cash are often called potins, a time period which refers back to the metallic alloy that was used to make them, a copper/tin/lead alloy that has a silverish look.

The potins, or cash, which made up the so-called Hillingdon Hoard, have been discovered caked in dust. (HS2)

Discovery of Hillingdon Hoard Throughout Rail Mission Excavations

HS2’s archaeological excavations are being carried out by the challenge’s enabling works contractor, Costain Skanska Joint Enterprise. Their newest discovery in Hillingdon was made doable by a storm that washed away the layer of soil that had stored the hoard of Iron Age cash hidden for therefore lengthy.

“We have been coming to the top of our archaeological work on the location once we discovered a patch of soil that was a really completely different shade from what it could be anticipated to be,” defined Emma Tetlow, the Costain Skanska supervisor main the exploration challenge, in an HS2 press release. “The patch of soil was darkish greeny-blue which suggests oxidized metallic, and once we checked extra carefully, we may see loosely packed metallic discs.”

In all, the archaeologists recovered greater than 300 of those Iron Age-minted cash. A extra detailed evaluation revealed that the cash had been manufactured someday within the 1st century BC. This doesn’t essentially imply the hoard was buried at the moment, for the reason that cash have been sturdy and will have remained in circulation for a lot of many years after they have been initially made. This “as soon as in a lifetime discover,” Tetlow continued, “permits us to develop our data of what life may have been like in Hillingdon many centuries in the past.”

The so-called Hillingdon Hoard is among the most important collections of historical Iron Age cash ever discovered on British soil. One other assortment present in 2010 (the Sudbury Hoard) was related in dimension, however was comprised of cash that had been made at an earlier date. Beforehand, just a few cash from the later time interval had been discovered, which is why the Hillingdon Hoard is so particular.

A Historical past of Potins and the Mareselle Coin

Someday within the 2nd century BC within the Mediterranean coastal metropolis of Marseille, France, coin-makers created the primary potin-style cash. They have been inscribed with the picture of the Greek and Roman god Apollo on one aspect, and with an image of a charging bull on the opposite.

Marseille was based as a Greek colony in roughly 600 BC, and its cultural historical past was mirrored in it alternative of coin iconography. Apollo was a god who represented data and enlightenment, amongst many different virtues. The bull was additionally a picture featured often in Greek mythology, having been inherited from the extremely influential Greek Minoan tradition that had thrived on the island of Crete within the 2nd and third millennia BC.

Being manufactured in one of the crucial vital seaports within the Mediterranean, the Marseille cash have been simply distributed and proved to be well-liked on commerce routes that reached into Northern Europe. Quickly different city-states and nations, together with Britain, started making their very own cash, largely mimicking the designs of the Marseille originals.

The Hillingdon Hoard potins depict Apollo on one aspect and a bull charging on the opposite. (HS2)

Potins Cross Over into Britain: Origins of the Hillingdon Hoard Cash

The primary potins made in Britain are often called Kentish Main or Thurrock varieties, and have been in circulation by a minimum of 150 BC. They have been comparatively heavy and ponderous, and by 100 BC they’d been changed by extra streamlined designs often called Flat Linear.

The Flat Linear type produced various forms of coin, which have been put into circulation in sequence over the remaining many years of the first century BC. The depictions of Apollo and the bull grew to become extra summary and stylized over time, and people adjustments have helped archaeologists decide when cash discovered throughout excavations have been manufactured.

The potins from the Hillingdon Hoard contained photos that have been extremely stylized. This implies they have been made at a later level within the Flat Linear manufacturing sequence, presumably someday within the latter phases of the primary century BC. These specific cash have been manufactured at a time of nice uncertainty in Britain. Celtic tribes managed most areas of the nation, however the Romans have been looming simply over the horizon.

The forces of the Roman Republic underneath Julius Caesar invaded Britain in 58 BC. Whereas this preliminary tour was efficiently repelled, everybody knew the Romans would return finally—which they did, in 43 AD, launching a struggle of conquest ordered by Roman Emperor Claudius that was destined to succeed.

One of many potins, earlier than and after cleansing. (HS2)

HS2 Excavations Deepening Data of Misplaced British Cultures

Archaeologists and historians are excited by the invention of the Hillingdon Hoard. However at current they continue to be uncertain as to why the cash have been collected and hidden within the earth. The hoard location was far-off from any massive settlement (the traditional model of London was solely based after the Roman conquest).

Some imagine the hoard could have been buried as a strategy to set up a property line, thereby proving possession of a selected piece of land. Others assume the cash could have been left as a sacrifice to the Gods, given the actual fact they have been buried in a distant space close to what could have been thought-about a sacred spring and woodland space.

One other risk is that the hoard was hidden to stop its being stolen, to be retrieved later when it was actually wanted. If the cash had been in circulation for a very long time, the cache could have been buried in response to the Roman invasion of the primary century AD, which might have created a excessive degree of worry and uncertainty among the many inhabitants. A rich coin collector might need been fearful that an invading military would seize his most prized possession.

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Regardless of the motivations of the individual or individuals who buried it, this substantial assortment of historical cash is a exceptional discover. It is only one of many such discoveries which were credited to HS2 archaeological excavations, which has helped develop data concerning the cultures of a number of completely different eras of British historical past.

“At HS2 we aren’t solely constructing for the longer term, we’re additionally preserving the previous,” mentioned HS2 Helen Wass, commenting on this newest discovery. “That is an thrilling discover for our workforce of archaeologists and offers us with extra details about how our ancestors lived and settled in London. HS2’s unprecedented archaeological program has enabled us to inform the tales of our historical past and go away an enduring legacy for future generations.”

High picture: The Hillingdon Hoard, a set of cash of potins, took its identify from the placement the place it was found in London. Supply: HS2

By Nathan Falde