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3,000-Year-Old Gold Treasure Secured
29 May
Summary
- A 3,000-year-old gold dress fastener was secured for public display.
- The museum raised £150,000 through donations and grants.
- The artefact will be displayed starting spring 2027.
A crucial Bronze Age artifact, a 3,000-year-old gold dress fastener, has been successfully secured for public display. The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent raised the necessary £150,000 through a combination of public donations and grant funding to acquire the historically significant piece. This fastener is notable as the first of its kind found in Britain in nearly 30 years and is one of only seven such items recorded in England and Wales.
The artifact, discovered in Ellastone, Staffordshire, in 2023 by a metal detectorist, will be a centerpiece when the museum fully reopens in spring 2027. This reopening follows a multi-million-pound transformation project. In the interim, outreach events are being planned to allow the public to view the fastener and learn about Staffordshire's rich Bronze Age history. Replicas will also be created for upcoming heritage events.
