[CPProt.net] Museum moves to bring back treasure

[MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)]

Museum moves to bring back treasure 

ISABEL COCKAYNE

01 August 2005 06:30

For the best part of a quarter of a century one of Norfolk's biggest
treasure troves has been out of the county.

And the Thetford Treasure - a hoard of Roman gold, jewellery and silver
spoons - has not been displayed in the town, simply because it is too
precious.

Some of the hoard was displayed at the Castle Museum, in Norwich, in the
early 1980s, but has not been back to the region since.

But improvements to Thetford's Ancient House Museum, part of which includes
work to toughen security, there is a strong chance the original pieces could
be on display in the museum by 2007.

Ancient House curators have talked about the hoard display with those from
the British Museum, which houses the 82-piece collection.

For 19 years the Ancient House has displayed replicas of the fourth century
pieces unearthed 26 years ago at Gallows Hill, but it would be "very
exciting" to have the originals, said curator Oliver Bone.

"We're working on it. We need to satisfy the British Museum in terms of
security and so on. We're very hopeful we will be able to display some of
the real Thetford Treasure for up to six months after we reopen," he said.

"It is brilliant that a national museum like the British Museum, is keen to
lend some of the national collection," he said.

"We can't be certain this can go ahead. When the museum is refurbished, the
British Museum will have to check it is satisfied that the conditions are
right and the level of security is high enough."

The museum is undergoing a £1.5m five-year project, paid for with a Heritage
Lottery Fund grant and cash from local authorities, of repair and
conservation work. It reopens in spring next year. 

Frances Carey, head of national programmes at the British Museum, confirmed
some of the items could return to Thetford. 

"Norfolk Museums Service/Thetford Ancient House Museum are in discussion
with the British Museum about the loan of a portion of the Thetford Treasure
in 2007, through the British Museum's Partnership UK scheme," she said.

The Thetford Treasure, which includes gold bracelets and rings, has revealed
information about life in late Roman Britain in 380-390 AD.

Many of the items were not worn or used and there are inscriptions on the
spoons, referring to the cult of the pagan nature god Faunus.

"This cult was illegal in Christian Roman Britain and it could be their
burial in the ground was something to do with their illegal nature," said 

Mr Bone.

Former mayor Mike Edmond spearheaded an appeal for the display of replicas
of the Thetford Treasure during the 1980s and there are now 32 items.