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Treasure status for Monmouthshire Bronze Age and gold finds

Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales Gold ring with turquoise stoneAmgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales
The ring was from the late 12th or early 13th Century

Archaeological discoveries in Monmouthshire dating as far back as the 9th Century BC have been declared as treasure.

A hoard of 12 bronze age tools and weapons and three separate finds of medieval gold and silver were declared treasure by the coroner for Gwent.

The items were all discovered by members of the public.

The Bronze Age discovery, to be called Llanddewi Skirrid Hoard, included axes, a spearhead and fragments of swords.

Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales Hoard of 12 bronze spearheads, sword pieces and axesAmgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales
The hoard of 12 bronze tools and weapons could have come from western France

The items, which are almost 3,000 years old, were found by metal detectorists Nicholas and James Mensikov in April 2015 and was away from any known Bronze Age settlement sites.

The sword they unearthed matched up with one commonly found in western France.

David Jones, who owns the land where the father and son found the bronze, said: "It's amazing to think that this land was being farmed 3,000 years ago."

Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales Medieval belt strap with a pattern carved in the centreAmgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales
Decorative silver straps such as this were often found on the end of belts in medieval times

Three further discoveries were made by other members of the public.

The first of the medieval finds was a silver strap end, which would have normally formed a decorative piece on the end of the belt, at Goetre Fawr in June 2016.

A gold finger ring, complete with a turquoise stone, from the late 12th or early 13th Century, was then found in September 2016.

Another medieval gold ring was also found, although it was missing a stone.

Three of the four items have been bought by the Abergavenny museum in Monmouthshire.

Rachael Rogers, Monmouthshire museums manager, said: "We are very pleased to be acquiring these important objects for our collections. Finds such as these are continually adding to what we know about how people lived their lives in this part of Wales over time."

Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales Gold bandAmgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales
This gold ring was missing a stone from the top