Galloway Hoard

When an incredible trove of treasure found by metal detectorists in Galloway emerged as a unique and historically incredibly important find, National Museums Scotland embarked on a fundraising campaign to secure it for the nation. The aim was to conserve, research and display the hoard – “the richest collection of rare and unique Viking-age objects ever found in Britain or Ireland”.

Buried over 1000 years ago, the hoard of treasure contains over 100 old, valuable, diverse, beautiful objects, all with stories to tell.  Viking Age silver jewellery. Precious metal and jewelled items, including a rare gold ingot, a unique gold bird-shaped pin. A decorated silver  vessel, a treasure trove in its own right. This vessel contained more exotic objects: beads; amulets of glass and rock crystal; a silver penannular brooch; another gold ingot; five Anglo-Saxon disc brooches of a kind not found in Scotland before; and two examples of a new type of quatrefoil brooch. Carefully wrapped in fragile textile bundles were a rock crystal flask and some jewelled pointers used to mark places within medieval manuscripts.

We worked with National Museums Scotland on the appeal film designed to help raise funds for the conservation and research work on this stunning treasure trove.  The project included a unique opportunity to see and film the incerdibly beautiful objects up close, wilming with the conservation team and creating animated illustrations showing the layout of the buried treasure at the time of the discovery. Thankfully the Museum reached its fundraising target and these amazing objects will be on display later in 2020