Finds: From the dark ages, or are they?

Doug · Mar 10, 2019

"The term ‘The Dark Ages’ refers to the period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance: the 5th – 14th centuries.

It has been suggested that this period saw little scientific and cultural advancement.

However, the term doesn’t stand up to much scrutiny – and many medieval historians have dismissed it."

Thanks for looking...........Doug.

Horse pendant AD1200-1400

Chinese ch'ien or 'cash' coin.

William 3rd silver love token.

Livery button.

Button back mark imprint

Coin imprint.

Various coins.

Various items.

Toy cannon top left.

Silver trefoil spoon.

Silver makers mark is James or Josiah Wiliams, was active at 14 Small Street, Bristol as manufacturers of silver and electroplated goods.

Modern brooch.

Horse pendant, would have been gilded when new.

Saxon 11th century book clasp.

Quite a rare find for my area, currently being researched by the local museum.

zeemang · Mar 10, 2019

The span of history in one given area amazes me, another awesome hunt!

The Rebel · Mar 10, 2019

Awesome finds Doug! So jealous of the things you find there.

Rammjäger · Mar 10, 2019

I like the spoon. Unfortunately hit by the plough.
Last pic is a strap end ?

PS.: Oh! Now I see it's book clasp

Pete e · Mar 10, 2019

Hi Doug,

Those are some lovely finds...Are these all from one outing?

Just curious as to what part of the UK they were found?

I'm up in North Wales and back in the Dark Ages (and before), I don't think we had the same population density as southern or eastern England...

Regards,

Peter

Lawnwalker15 · Mar 10, 2019

Wow...your finds always fascinate me!! Good job and as always...thanks for sharing...

Doug · Mar 11, 2019

zeemang said:
The span of history in one given area amazes me, another awesome hunt!

Thank you.

The Rebel said:
Awesome finds Doug! So jealous of the things you find there.

Thank you.

Rammjäger said:
I like the spoon. Unfortunately hit by the plough.
Last pic is a strap end ?

PS.: Oh! Now I see it's book clasp

Thank you.

I did think at first it was a Saxon stirrup mount but had it confirmed to be a Saxon (dark ages era) book clasp. Now having further research by the museum and then entered on the data-base.

Pete e said:
Hi Doug,

Those are some lovely finds...Are these all from one outing?

Just curious as to what part of the UK they were found?

I'm up in North Wales and back in the Dark Ages (and before), I don't think we had the same population density as southern or eastern England...

Regards,

Peter

Thank you.

Finds for several weeks on local fields here in the south west.(England)

Lawnwalker15 said:
Wow...your finds always fascinate me!! Good job and as always...thanks for sharing...

Thank you and my pleasure in sharing my finds with the 'family'.

jack&jill · Mar 11, 2019

Some fantastic history in your digs Doug. Big congrats! Trapper

Jim Bob · Mar 11, 2019

Nice post Doug, I can't imagine being able to pull history out of the ground like that. How often to you get a chance to hunt?? Awesome finds.

Doug · Mar 13, 2019

jack&jill said:
Some fantastic history in your digs Doug. Big congrats! Trapper

Thank you.

Jim Bob said:
Nice post Doug, I can't imagine being able to pull history out of the ground like that. How often to you get a chance to hunt?? Awesome finds.

Thank you.

I can go out any day on any field subject to crops and weather conditions.

All the farms are on my within 5 minutes of my house.

Greek2Me · Mar 13, 2019

Awesome finds Doug! Do you have a date on that Chinese coin? Curious if it's 1700s or older.

Congrats on those stellar finds.

G2M

Foragist · Mar 13, 2019

Beautiful assortment of historic digs, Doug! "The Dark Ages" sounds so heavy and ominous, that it is a good term for a past era. With a time called "The Dark Ages" in past history, it reminds us of how good we have it now; in the present.

So, you're driving in the country, on a weekend roadtrip, and your cellphone reception dwindles down to zero bars. This forces you to actually wait or travel to somewhere to make a call. This is a good time to exclaim: "Great. We're back to living in the Dark Ages!"

Doug · Mar 14, 2019

Greek2Me said:
Awesome finds Doug! Do you have a date on that Chinese coin? Curious if it's 1700s or older.

Congrats on those stellar finds.

G2M

Thank you.

No I don't have a date on the Chinese coin, I really would not know where to start to find out?

Foragist said:
Beautiful assortment of historic digs, Doug! "The Dark Ages" sounds so heavy and ominous, that it is a good term for a past era. With a time called "The Dark Ages" in past history, it reminds us of how good we have it now; in the present.

So, you're driving in the country, on a weekend roadtrip, and your cellphone reception dwindles down to zero bars. This forces you to actually wait or travel to somewhere to make a call. This is a good time to exclaim: "Great. We're back to living in the Dark Ages!"

Thank you.

The general consensus for it being called the dark ages is the lack of documentary evidence for that period of time after the Romans left until the medieval period.

Linked to that and from a detectorist's angle is the lack of metal finds from the dark age period. In over 4+ decades I have only found 3 known items from that time period. 2 coins and a ring & dot dress pin.

Although my next post I will have a hook mount from around that period which will bring my grand total up to 4!

SeabeeRon · Mar 14, 2019

No I don't have a date on the Chinese coin, I really would not know where to start to find out?

Those Chinese Cache Coins turn up often on this side of the pond.

Usually found in mining or railroad camps, but turn up everywhere really!

The general consensus for it being called the dark ages is the lack of documentary evidence for that period of time after the Romans left until the medieval period.

Linked to that and from a detectorist's angle is the lack of metal finds from the dark age period. In over 4+ decades I have only found 3 known items from that time period. 2 coins and a ring & dot dress pin.

Although my next post I will have a book clasp from that period which will bring my grand total up to 4!

Help me with my History, what dates cover the Dark Ages?

Great finds as always Doug!!

Doug · Mar 14, 2019

The the end of the dark ages in general can be around the end of the Saxon period of 1066 then we start to go into the early medieval period.

Quote:

"Migration period, also called Dark Ages or Early Middle Ages, the early medieval period of western European history.

Specifically, the time (476–800 CE) when there was no Roman (or Holy Roman) emperor in the West or, more generally, the period between about 500 and 1000/1066 which was marked by frequent warfare and a virtual disappearance of urban life."

SeabeeRon · Mar 14, 2019

Doug said:
The the end of the dark ages in general can be around the end of the Saxon period of 1066 then we start to go into the early medieval period.

Quote:

"Migration period, also called Dark Ages or Early Middle Ages, the early medieval period of western European history.

Specifically, the time (476–800 CE) when there was no Roman (or Holy Roman) emperor in the West or, more generally, the period between about 500 and 1000/1066 which was marked by frequent warfare and a virtual disappearance of urban life."

I knew I could count of you my friend!! :thumbsup:

spenglure · Mar 14, 2019

Really cool stuff thanks for sharing!

Estima8tor · Mar 14, 2019

Nice finds Doug. So much history over there, it's amazing what you guys can dig up across the water.

Finds: From the dark ages, or are they?

Doug

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zeemang

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Rammjäger

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Doug

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Doug

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