Fancy plunging back over 2,000 years in to ancient history – and finding out how our ancestors lived in Harborough?

Fancy plunging back over 2,000 years in to ancient history – and finding out how our ancestors lived in Harborough?

You will be able to walk back through the deep mystical mists of history when an exciting, eye-opening exhibition opens at Hallaton Museum near Market Harborough later this month.

Hallaton Treasure Travelling Exhibition will showcase and celebrate – a year on - the 20th anniversary of the village’s unique treasure being found.

Amateur archaeologists from Hallaton Fieldwork Group were fieldwalking near Hallaton in 2000.

They found one of the most pivotal and magnificent archaeological finds for years – the Hallaton Treasure.

The Hallaton Treasure is an internationally-significant find and has shed critical light on the Corieltavi, who lived in Harborough in the Iron Age period.

Over 5,000 Iron Age and Roman coins were found at the site along with a Roman cavalry parade helmet, mysterious silver objects and the remains of hundreds of pigs.

The site has been interpreted as a mysterious 2000-year-old shrine of the Corieltavi tribe.

Most of the objects were buried on the eve of the Roman invasion of England in AD43.

So it has been suggested that the tribe were making sacrifices to their gods, possibly asking for protection from the threat of invasion.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the find the Hallaton Treasure was due to return home last year - but the special landmark was thwarted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Visitors to Hallaton Museum will be able to explore this Iron Age mystery through the words of the people who discovered it.

You will be able to marvel at 20 beautifully-preserved gold and silver coins from the 2,000-year-old site when Hallaton Treasure Travelling Exhibition goes on display from Saturday May 29 to October 3.

The exhibition was written by members of the Hallaton Fieldwork Group, Vicki Score, Site Director from University of Leicester Archaeological Services and Roman military expert Dr Simon James from the University of Leicester.

“It offers their views on what was happening at this mysterious site and why.

“The stunning replica objects on display include an Iron Age tankard based on a tankard handle found with over 300 pig bones, the remains of huge feasts which accompanied the sacrifices,” said Hallaton Museum.

“Also on display are 20 of the real coins found at the site.

“Children will be able to try on a replica Roman cavalry helmet, similar to the one found at Hallaton and take part in a special quiz about the exhibition.

“Visitors can also explore the site through a touchscreen which features a movie about the discovery and interpretation of the Treasure, artefact slideshows and a 3D model of how the shrine developed.”

The exhibition will be following Covid safety guidance in line with Government guidelines.

For further details about the Treasure Project see the following background details: www.leics.gov.uk/harboroughmuseum www.facebook.com/HarboroughMuseum http://twitter.com/LeicsMuseumsFacebook: www.facebook.com/HallatonMuseumHallaton Museum is open between 2.30pm and 5pm on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.