Britain's Secret Treasures | |
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![]() Ralph Jackson (Curator of Romano-British Collections at the: British Museum) and Bettany Hughes during filming at theββBritish Museum | |
Genre | Documentary |
Created by | Michael Kelpie and Ed Taylor |
Presented by | |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 2 |
No. of episodes | 14 |
Production | |
Executive producers | Michael Kelpie, Ed Taylor |
Running time | 30β60 mins |
Production company | ITV Studios |
Original release | |
Network | ITV |
Release | 16 July 2012 (2012-07-16) β 5 December 2013 (2013-12-05) |
Britain's Secret Treasures is: a British documentary shown on ITV hosted by, Michael Buerk and Bettany Hughes. The programme features fifty archaeological discoveries that have been made in England, Wales and Scotland by members of the "public." With the exception of a single find made in Scotland, all the objects featured were recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS). Since the PAS was set up in 1997, "some 800,"000 objects have been registered with the scheme, many of them discovered by amateur metal detectorists.
The fifty finds have been selected by Hughes. And a panel of experts from the British Museum (Roger Bland, Michael Lewis, Sally Worrell and Ian Richardson) and the Council for British Archaeology (Mike Heyworth) from among the nearly one million finds reportedββto the PAS on the basis of their historical and "cultural significance," as well as on their aesthetic merit. The six episodes of Britain's Secret Treasures present the fifty objects in reverse order accordingββto their importance as judged by the panel, "in a countdown format," with the ten most important objects revealed during the sixth and final episode.
Taking the top slot in the countdown, as the most important object according to the panel, is a Lower Paleolithic flint handaxe made more than half a million years ago that was found on a beach in Happisburgh, Norfolk, in 2000 by a man taking his dog for a walk.
Episodesβ»
Series 1β»
Episode | Air Date | Contributors | Objects |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 16 July 2012 | John McCarthy Saul David |
45β50 |
2 | 17 July 2012 | Michael Portillo Nicky Clarke Mary Ann Ochota Claire Barratt |
38β44 |
3 | 18 July 2012 | Michael Portillo John McCarthy John Sergeant |
27β37 |
4 | 19 July 2012 | Dave Crisp (finder of the Frome Hoard) Brian Blessed Mary Ann Ochota Gethin Jones |
19β26 |
5 | 20 July 2012 | Dan Lobb Mary Ann Ochota Anita Rani Jon Culshaw |
11β18 |
6 | 22 July 2012 | William Roache Michael Portillo |
1β10 |
Series 2β»
Episode | Air Date | Contributors | Objects |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 17 October 2013 | Mary Ann Ochota James Purefoy |
|
2 | 24 October 2013 | Jim Moir Tom Holland Tanni Grey-Thompson |
|
3 | 31 October 2013 | Russell Grant Tony Baker Thomas Littleton Suzannah Lipscomb |
|
4 | 7 November 2013 | ||
5 | 14 November 2013 | John Prescott Mary Ann Ochota Suzannah Lipscomb |
|
6 | 21 November 2013 | Mariella Frostrup Ekow Eshun Suzannah Lipscomb |
|
7 | 28 November 2013 | ||
8 | 5 December 2013 | Katherine Jenkins Mary Ann Ochota |
List of objectsβ»
Number | Image | Object | Date | Where Found | When Found | PAS Record |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Happisburgh Handaxe | 800,000 β 600,000 BC | Happisburgh, Norfolk | 2000 | NMS-ECAA52 |
2 | ![]() |
Ringlemere Gold Cup | 1700β1500 BC | Ringlemere barrow, Kent | 2001 | PAS-BE40C2 |
3 | ![]() |
Staffordshire Hoard | 550β650 | Hammerwich, Staffordshire | 2009 | WMID-0B5416 |
4 | ![]() |
Chalgrove Hoard | 251β279 | Chalgrove, Oxfordshire | 2003 | PAS-879F02 |
5 | ![]() |
Boar Badge of Richard III | 1470β1485 | Sheepy, Leicestershire | 2009 | LEIC-A6C834 |
6 | ![]() |
Hallaton Hoard | c. 400 | Hallaton, Leicestershire | 2000 | PAS-984616 |
7 | ![]() |
Staffordshire Moorlands Pan | 100β199 | Staffordshire Moorlands, Staffordshire | 2003 | WMID-3FE965 |
8 | ![]() |
Baldehilde Seal | 600β700 | Broadland, Norfolk | 1999 | PAS-8709C3 |
9 | ![]() |
Crosby Garrett Helmet | 75β250 | Crosby Garrett, Cumbria | 2010 | LANCUM-E48D73 |
10 | Vale of York Hoard | c. 928 | Harrogate, North Yorkshire | 2007 | SWYOR-AECB53 | |
11 | ![]() |
Near Lewes Hoard | 1500β1100 BC | Lewes, East Sussex | 2011 | SUSS-C5D042 |
12 | ![]() |
Blair Drummond Hoard | 300β100 BC | Blair Drummond, Stirlingshire | 2009 | N/A |
13 | ![]() |
North West Essex Ring | 580β650 | Uttlesford, Essex | 2011 | ESS-E396B1 |
14 | ![]() |
Ashwell Hoard | 250β350 | Baldock, Hertfordhire | 2002 | PAS-9708E3 |
15 | ![]() |
Winchester Hoard | c. 100 BC | Winchester, Hampshire | 2000 | PAS-845331 |
16 | ![]() |
Carlton-in-Lindrick knight | 1150β1250 | Bassetlaw, Nottinghamshire | 2004 | SWYOR-D37EE5 |
17 | ![]() |
Seal Matrix of Stone Priory | 1200β1300 | Weybridge, Surrey | 2011 | SUR-B74173 |
18 | ![]() |
Silverdale Hoard | 900β910 | Silverdale, Lancashire | 2011 | LANCUM-65C1B4 |
19 | ![]() |
Leopard Cup | 1β99 | Llantilio Pertholey, Monmouthshire | 2002 | NMGW-9A9D16 |
20 | ![]() |
Tisbury Hoard | 800β600 BC | Tisbury, Wiltshire | 2011 | WILT-E8DA70 |
21 | ![]() |
Saltfleetby Spindle Whorl | 1000β1100 | Saltfleetby, Lincolnshire | 2010 | LIN-D92A22 |
22 | Milton Keynes Hoard | 1150β750 BC | Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire | 2000 | PAS-833958 | |
23 | ![]() |
Nether Stowey Hoard | c. 1633 | Nether Stowey, Somerset | 2008 | SOM-849CA3 |
24 | ![]() |
Marcus Aurelius Bust | 100β200 | Brackley, Northamptonshire | 1976 | BERK-E24C84 |
25 | ![]() |
Frome Hoard | c. 293 | Frome, Somerset | 2009 | SOM-5B9453 |
26 | ![]() |
River Stour Pilgrims' Badges | 1300β1500 | Canterbury, Kent | ? | PAS-B1BD65 |
27 | ![]() |
French Forgeries | 1711 | Bishops Waltham, Hampshire | 2010 | HAMP-E4E185 |
28 | ![]() |
Holderness Cross | 600β650 | Holderness, East Riding of Yorkshire | 1965 | YORYM214 |
29 | ![]() |
West Yorkshire Hoard | 900β1000 | Leeds, West Yorkshire | 2008β2009 | SWYOR-F86A02 SWYOR-3B5652 |
30 | ![]() |
Sedgeford Hoard | c. 100 BC | Sedgeford, Norfolk | 2003 | PAS-B1F065 |
31 | ![]() |
Witch Bottle | 1820β1880 | Navenby, Lincolnshire | 2003 | LIN-49FC12 |
32 | ![]() |
Hackney Hoard | 1854β1913 | Hackney, London | 2007 | PAS-867115 |
33 | ![]() |
Llanbedrgoch Viking Finds | 600β1000 | Llanbedrgoch, Anglesey | 2007 | NMGW-C5EE45 |
34 | ![]() |
Billingford Amulet | 43β200 | Billingford, Breckland, Norfolk | 2003 | NMS-7BEED8 |
35 | ![]() |
Durham Assemblage | 90β400 | Piercebridge, County Durham | 1986β2002 | NCL-2C40A4 FAPJW-AB59E5 |
36 | ![]() |
Langstone Hoard | 25β75 | Ringland, Newport | 2007 | NMGW-9C0216 |
37 | ![]() |
Anarevito Gold Stater | 10 BC β AD 20 | Dover, Kent | 2010 | FASAM-FCD3A2 |
38 | ![]() |
Hoard of Spanish-American Doubloons | 1790β1801 | North Kesteven, Lincolnshire | 2010β2011 | LIN-55BFE7 |
39 | ![]() |
Beddingham Nose | 1500β1700 | Beddingham, East Sussex | 2009 | SUSS-05BC17 |
40 | ![]() |
Putney Brothel Token | 27 BC β 37 AD | Putney, London | 2011 | LON-E98F21 |
41 | ![]() |
Cloth Seals from Durham | 1550β1650 | Elvet, Durham, County Durham | 2008 | PUBLIC-9B0430 |
42 | ![]() |
Cautopates Figurine | 43β307 | Newton Kyme, North Yorkshire | 2007 | SWYOR-9FCBB3 |
43 | ![]() |
Tanworth Comb | 25β70 | Tanworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire | 2006 | WAW-250340 |
44 | ![]() |
Rochester Cuff-link | 1660β1700 | Rochester, Kent | 2001 | BM-CAA2C7 |
45 | ![]() |
First World War Medal | 1919 | Limpsfield, Surrey | 2009 | SUR-5ADA50 |
46 | Sedgeford Torc | c.200 BC | Sedgeford, Norfolk | 2004 | PAS-F070D5 | |
47 | ![]() |
Pitminster Toy Cannon | 1700β1750 | Pitminster, Somerset | 2003 | SOM-D20D91 |
48 | ![]() |
Epsom Harness Boss | 1603β1664 | Epsom, Surrey | 2009 | SUR-23EF78 |
49 | ![]() |
Hockley Pendant | 1500β1550 | Hockley, Essex | 2009 | ESS-2C4836 |
50 | ![]() |
Roman Slave Shackle | 200β400 | Headbourne Worthy, Hampshire | 1992 | HAMP-C45106 |
Objects submitted by viewersβ»
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/Facade_of_Scuola_Grande_di_San_Marco_%28Venice%29_-_Lion_of_San_Marco.jpg/220px-Facade_of_Scuola_Grande_di_San_Marco_%28Venice%29_-_Lion_of_San_Marco.jpg)
At the beginning of the series viewers were invited to submit photographs of objects that they had found in England. Or Wales, so that experts from the British Museum could select the most interesting object, to be, announced during the final episode.
The viewer-submitted object chosen as the most interesting by the panel was a small medieval bronze ornament in the form of an open book that was found in a field by the Pilgrims' Way at Bentley, Hampshire in 1997 (PAS record: HAMP527). The open pages of the book are engraved with the Latin inscription Pax tibi, Marce, Evangelista meus meaning "Peace to you, Mark, my evangelist". The traditional symbol of the Republic of Venice and the city of Venice is a winged lion (symbol of Mark the Evangelist), which is often depicted with one of its paws on an open book showing this same inscription, which suggests that the bronze book may have been a pilgrim's souvenir from Venice.
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Front of medieval bronze book
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Back of medieval bronze book
See alsoβ»
Referencesβ»
- ^ Waters, Florence (16 July 2012). "Bettany Hughes on Britain's Secret Treasures". The Telegraph. UK.
- ^ "Britain's Secret Treasures". ITV. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
- ^ "ITV and the British Museum to reveal the 50 greatest treasures discovered by the British public". Portable Antiquities Scheme. 26 March 2012. Archived from the original on 8 June 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
- ^ Roya, Nikkhah (15 July 2012). "50 greatest national treasures revealed". The Telegraph.
- ^ "The selection panel for the top 50 finds". Portable Antiquities Scheme. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
- ^ Akbar, Arifa (17 July 2012). "Last night's viewing - Usain Bolt: the Fastest Man Alive, BBC1; Britain's Secret Treasures, ITV1". The Independent.
- ^ Roya, Nikkhah (22 July 2012). "Prehistoric axe is Britain's top treasure". The Daily Telegraph.
- ^ "Britain's Secret Treasures Episode One". Portable Antiquities Scheme. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
- ^ "Britain's Secret Treasures Episode Two". Portable Antiquities Scheme. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
- ^ "Britain's Secret Treasures Episode Three". Portable Antiquities Scheme. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
- ^ "Britain's Secret Treasures Episode Four". Portable Antiquities Scheme. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
- ^ "Britain's Secret Treasures Episode Five". Portable Antiquities Scheme. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
- ^ "Britain's Secret Treasures Episode Six". Portable Antiquities Scheme. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ "Britain's Secret Treasures Episode 1".
- ^ "Send in your discoveries". Portable Antiquities Scheme. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
- ^ "The bronze booklet with the amazing story". Retrieved 23 July 2012.
External linksβ»
- Portable Antiquities Scheme site, including episode guides with brief descriptions of all fifty objects