Treasure: History Unearthed at Museum of Liverpool

Did you know ‘Treasure’ has a legal definition? Neither did we, until we visited the exhibition Treasure: History Unearthed at the Museums of Liverpool.

While family mementos and old photographs may be treasures to most of us, archaeological treasures are defined by much stricter criteria. The term covers objects made of gold or silver that are more than 300 years old, prehistoric hoards and groups of coins (although the 1996 Treasure Act also included significant metal objects of over 200 years old.)

This definition gives us a taste of what to expect in the exhibition itself – jewellery, coins, metal tools and intricately handcrafted tools. A treat for history lovers, the show features the largest collection of archaeological treasure ever shown in the region, with finds from the North West and Wales. 

It’s worth noting too, that the interpretation in the exhibition is provided in both English and Wales, due to so many of the valuable archaeological finds coming from the region and to highlight its rich cultural heritage.

Look out for the incredible Mold Cape found in 1833, dating back to circa.1900BC-1600BC – an richly decorated, blindingly shiny cape of solid sheet-gold.

Visitors will also find gold lock-rings which were most likely used to decorate hair. There are also some amazing examples of jewellery too, from rings to brooches, that astound with their designs. There are coins too, of course, most notably the The Agden Hoard, found by a ploughman in a field in Cheshire in 1957. Each of the items includes information on how it was discovered – you’ll be surprised at just how many treasures were found by accident.

The exhibition has been two years in the making and has been created in collaboration with the Portable Antiquities Scheme, a voluntary recording scheme for archaeological objects found by members of the public. 

Treasure: History Unearthed is a compact yet satisfying display.