Metal detectorists in western Wales found two lead ingots that date back to the Roman era, a Welsh museum said Tuesday. The pieces are the first of their kind to be found in the region.
Metal detectorists Nick Yallope and Peter Nicolas found the pieces while searching land owned by farmer Geraint Jenkins in Ceredigion, according to a news release from Welsh national museum Amgueddfa Cymru. The pair had permission to search and dig on the land.
Ceredigion is a coastal area with Celtic heritage. Museum curator Carrie Canham said its "rich mineral and ore deposits" were a major reason the Romans sought to conquer this area." Lead mined in Ceredigion during the Roman era spread across the empire, she said.
The ingots, also known as lead "pigs," were used to produce tools and weapons, according to CBS News partner BBC News. They date back to AD 87, based on lettering written on them, the museum said. During that time, Rome was ruled by Emperor Domitian, who was known for empire building, the BBC reported.
The two lead ingots.
Alex Martin / Amgueddfa Cymru
In 2005, archaeologists found the remains of a Roman lead smelting site in a peat bog in Ceredigion. Nearby mines may have supplied the lead, the BBC reported at the time, and the metal may have been transported throughout the Roman empire.
The pieces were found on grazing land about 18 inches deep. The pieces were less than six feet apart from each other, the museum said.
"I feel incredibly proud to have uncovered something so rare and important to our local heritage. Unlocking a new chapter of our area's past, is incredibly exciting," Yallope said in the museum's news release.
"It's remarkable to think that land we now farm organically once played a role in a much wider Roman landscape," Jenkins said.
Lead pig found by Nick Yallope and Peter Nicolas after being dug out of ground
Nick Yallope and Peter Nicolas
The pieces will be displayed in a new archaeology gallery opening at the Amgueddfa Ceredigion museum in spring 2027, Canham said.
Metal detectorists in Wales need permission to explore private land, and any items that are believed to be treasure must be reported to the country's Portable Antiquities Scheme. The organization then examines the items to determine their value.
Between 2020 and 2022, a hoard of Bronze Age artifacts including axes, spearheads, rings and a sword scabbard were discovered by metal detectorists in Wales. Those artifacts were declared treasure by the government in 2023.
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