What a find! Gold necklace to mark (first) wedding of Henry VIII

© Handout gold necklace

A gold pendant created in the 16th century to mark the wedding of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon is among thousands of new finds dug up by metal detectorists across the country.

It was found in Warwickshire in 2019 by an enthusiast using a metal detector and features a heart shaped pendant on a chain made up of 75 links.

It is one of more than 1,000 finds recorded as treasure — meaning it is over 300 years old and made of precious metal — in one year. The necklace was on show today at the British Museum where the latest Treasure Annual Report was launched. Almost all of the treasure was found using metal detectors, with Norfolk and Kent proving the happiest hunting ground.

Arts minister Lord Parkinson said: “It is wonderful to see archaeology and metal-detecting across the country thriving — helping to uncover treasures which deepen our understanding of our shared national history. Supported by the success of the Treasure Act, it means that hundreds of wonderful discoveries are now in museums across the UK where they can be enjoyed by everyone.”

Michael Lewis, of the British Museum, said: “These finds, if recorded, are making a massive contribution to archaeology and, as in the case of the Henry and Catherine pendant, helping to transform our knowledge of Britain’s past.”

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