50 Finds From Hampshire

Katie Hinds explores some of Hampshire's most fascinating finds.

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The Portable Antiquities Scheme has been recording archaeological finds from Hampshire since 1999. Since then, the wealth of man-made discoveries found, from the prehistoric to the post-medieval period, is rewriting the map of Hampshire as we know it. These finds tell the story of Hampshire’s past, of our past, and showcase the people who populate this history: they have significance, whether they be rare objects of precious metal or more common everyday items; a single isolated loss or a previously unknown field of finds that reveals habitation where we didn’t know of it before.

A silver coin is found with its edge systematically hammered outwards; a small, decorated lead flask has loops for suspension; a miniature book is adorned with a Latin inscription. These items are so much more than they initially appear – they contain the stories of our ancestors and invite questions of our perception of the past and indeed the present. The finds in this book will take us across Hampshire over many thousands of years, revealing objects from the past and a glimpse of the people who owned them.