Rare Roman hoard stays in Yorkshire

The bronze bust of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius is among a unique collection of 1,800-year-old artefacts which will form a new exhibition; The Ryedale Hoard: A Roman Mystery at the Yorkshire Museum in York from Friday.

The collection of rare bronze objects offer a glimpse into religious life in rural Roman Ryedale in the second century.

They include a bust of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, a statuette of Mars, the God of War, a handle shaped as part of a horse that is thought to have come from a knife,and a ‘plumb bob’ used for engineering projects, are said to be among the finest known from Roman Britain.

They are thought to have been buried as an offering to the gods as part of a religious ceremony.

The 13cm bust of Marcus Aurelius, which would have topped a sceptre or priestly staff as a focal point for religious ceremonies, offers rare direct evidence of the Imperial Cult – the Empire-wide worship of Roman emperors as divine.

The items were found in May 2020 when two friends, James Spark and Mark Didlick, both keen metal detectorists, were in a field near Ampleforth.

Digging down into the soil, four spectacular artefacts emerged. They had been buried together as a hoard and had not been seen for 1,800 years ago.

Marcus Aurelius became Emperor in AD 161 and his 19-year reign was one of relative peace and prosperity for Rome.

However, in AD 165 troops returning from Mesopotamia brought with them a virus which swept across the entire Empire – the Antonine Plague. This ancient pandemic devastated the Roman citizens, with an estimated 10% of the population losing their lives.

An accomplished scholar, author and philosopher, Aurelius faced the challenge of the pandemic with his own stoic attitude. In his book ‘Meditations’ he wrote: ‘How unlucky I am that this should happen to me. But not at all. Perhaps I should say how lucky I am that I am not broken by what has happened’.

Lucy Creighton, Curator of Archaeology at York Museums Trust, said: “The Ryedale hoard is a unique discovery containing some of Yorkshire’s most significant Roman objects.

“We are so excited to share this spectacular find with the public for the very first time in Yorkshire, where it was found. In our new exhibition visitors will be able to get up close to the hoard and explore its story alongside Roman treasures from the museum’s wider collection. We’re delighted to welcome you back to the Yorkshire Museum with something so special”.

York Museums Trust purchased The Ryedale Hoard from David Aaron, who originally acquired the items at auction.

The purchase of the Ryedale Roman Hoard was made possible largely thanks to the generosity of American donor Richard Beleson, with additional funding through Art Fund, a number of individual donors and with the help of David Aaron Ltd.

Mr Beleson, from San Francisco, supported the Museum previously in the purchase of the Wold Newton Hoard.

Mr Beleson said; “I first read about the Hanson’s auction of the Ryedale Roman Hoard on Facebook, and the minute I saw the bronze bust of Marcus Aurelius, I knew there was only one place in the world it belonged - the Yorkshire Museum. I am really looking forward to visiting York and seeing it on display.”

To celebrate this exceptional new exhibition the Yorkshire Museum will be opening every day for visitors during the Easter Holidays from 11am to 5pm. From April 25, during term time, the museum will open Tuesday to Sunday. The museum will also be open seven days a week during school holidays and on Bank Holiday Mondays.

Alongside The Ryedale Hoard: A Roman Mystery exhibition, visitors can also enjoy Yorkshire’s Jurassic World, Medieval York: Capital of the North and After the Ice: Yorkshire’s Prehistoric People and our permanent collections. All displays are included in entry to the Yorkshire Museum.

Tickets are available now. Adult entry is £8, when purchased online. Concessions are available. Pre booking is advised, find and more by visiting yorkshiremuseum.org.uk