An iron sword of anthropoid-hilted type (pl. XXIV, 1, 3) was found in 1944 at Shouldham in West Norfolk, some five miles east of the margin of the Fens, and since 1949 has been on loan to Norwich Castle Museum. It is here published by kind permission of the owner, Mr W. R. O. Woodward. The sword was discovered while gravel was being dug in an arable field about 200 feet south-east of the site of the medieval church of St. Margaret, which fell into ruins after the Reformation. The sword was found at a depth of 1 foot 6 inches lying across the chest of an extended human skeleton inside the boundary of the medieval churchyard, as graves of that period were found adjacent though they had not disturbed this pre-Christian inhumation. There is no indication either on the ground or on air-photographs that a barrow had formerly existed, and the burial is probably to be regarded as an isolated interment.The overall length of the sword, to the end of the branching arms, is now 21⅜ in. (54 cm.), but this has been slightly diminished by corrosion. The straight-edged blade is 16⅜ in. (44 cm.) long and the hilt measures 3¼ in. (8 cm.). At both ends of the hilt curving arms of round cross-section branch outwards to end in knobs, now of unequal size owing to differential rusting. The surface of the grip bears traces of transverse ribbing, perhaps imitating that found in bronze on other examples of the type.

This paper describes and discusses a group of five hoards of metal-work and coins found in 1948–50 by ploughing supplemented by excavation at Ken Hill, Snettisham, in north-west Norfolk. On account of the large quantity of precious metals included the find has been termed collectively ‘The Snettisham Treasure.’ Its principal contents are as follows:—Hoard A (p. 36) contained the remains of four gold tubular torcs. Hoard B contained three staters, four quarter-staters of the Bellovaci; four staters and one quarter-stater of the Gaulish Atrebates, all of gold (p. 59): Hoard C contained at least 145 speculum (tin) coins of Allen's Class I (p. 72) and three buffer terminal bronze torcs (p. 52). From Hoards B and C came at least 48 loop terminal torcs of gold alloy, bronze and tin (p. 46); 17 ‘ingot-bracelets’ of bronze and tin (p. 52) 14 rings of gold alloy, bronze and tin (p. 54); U-shaped bronze binding (p. 56); fragment of a bronze bridle bit (p. 57); two dome-shaped bronze rivets (p. 57); 10 iron nails (p. 58) and miscellaneous fragments of sheet-bronze and ‘cake’ of gold alloy and tin (pp. 57–58). Hoard D consisted of a gold loop terminal torc (p. 46) with securing ring of gold (p. 54). Hoard E contained the following gold objects: ring terminal torc (p. 63) with quarter-stater of Gaulish Atrebates (p. 59); bracelet (p. 66) and large buffer terminal torc (p. 67).

The widespread adoption of deeper ploughing has led to the discovery during recent years of many remarkable antiquities in East Anglia. Prominent among recent discoveries resulting from this practice have been a series of finds of metal objects of the Early Iron Age in north-western Norfolk. These have ranged from an iron anthropoid sword with an inhumation burial at Shouldham through isolated finds, such as tores at Bawsey and North Creake, to the impressive group of hoards of ornaments and coins at Snettisham and the small hoard here studied found at Ringstead five miles from Snettisham and two miles east of Hunstanton.Few remains of the latter part of the Iron Age from about 100 B.C. to A.D. 43 had previously been recorded from north-west Norfolk. Within a ten-mile radius of Ringstead only indefinite traces of human occupation had been noted, such as pottery from Hunstanton and coins of the Iceni from Brancaster, Burnham Thorpe and possibly Ingoldisthorpe. A much-damaged hillfort at South Creake has been attributed to this period, though on very little direct evidence. Actual indications of settlement at this period are still very scanty.

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