The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
‘Internationally significant’ find goes on display
Hoard of Roman ‘hacksilver’ was used to bribe troublesome tribes
A hoard of Roman silver found in a Fife village is to go on show for the first time in a new exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland in October.
The treasure was found by metal detectorist David Hall from Livingston at Dairsie in 2014 when he was just 14.
Experts have established the hoard dates to the late Third Century AD and is the earliest “hacksilver” from anywhere beyond the frontiers of the Roman Empire.
Hacksilver refers to objects literally hacked into pieces, converted from treasures into raw silver bullion.
Archaeologists think the silver came to Fife as a gift or payment from the Roman world.
The Romans could not just rely on the strength of their army – they also used diplomatic efforts to secure the empire’s borders by buying off surrounding tribes.
The Dairsie hoard has given National Museums Scotland staff an additional challenge. As well as being hacked up by the Romans, the hoard had been shattered by ploughing.
Conservators and curators have undertaken a daunting jigsaw puzzle, reconstructing four Roman vessels from more than 300 fragments, as well as examining how they had been cut into packages of bullion.
Dr Fraser Hunter, principal curator at National Museums Scotland, said: “The Dairsie hoard is internationally significant.
“It’s the earliest evidence for a new phase of Roman policy in dealing with troublesome tribes, using bribes of silver bullion in the form of hacked silver vessels.
“It’s a fascinatingly complex picture that shows interaction and realpolitik, with the Romans changing their approach to deal with different emerging problems, and local tribes taking advantage of Roman ‘gifts’.
“It’s been great to show David Hall, the finder, the next steps in translating a find like this from the field, through the laboratories and on to public display.”
Scotland’s Early Silver runs from October 13 to February 25.