Metal Detectorist Unearths Second Bronze Age Hoard Just Miles from Landmark Peebles Discovery

A metal detectorist has uncovered a second significant Bronze Age hoard in the Scottish Borders, an archaeological find that experts describe as "quite extraordinary" and one that may shed new light on the connections between two ancient deposits buried thousands of years ago.

Mariusz Stepien, who made headlines in 2020 when he discovered the Peebles Hoard, returned to the same archaeologically rich area in 2022 and found another collection of 3,000-year-old artefacts at a location roughly seven miles from his original discovery. The latest find has been named the Blyth Hoard.

The artefacts have been dated to the Late Bronze Age, placing them between 1150BC and 850BC. They include two bronze axe-heads and a complete copper ingot, which is believed to be the first object of its kind ever recovered in Scotland. Archaeologists also found clay moulds among the deposit, which may have been used to produce some of the distinctive bronze fittings that appeared in the nearby Peebles Hoard.

The Peebles Hoard, discovered by the same detectorist in 2020, is notable for containing a complete horse harness, along with a sword still inside its scabbard, decorated straps, buckles, rings, ornaments and chariot wheel axle caps. That collection was eventually saved for the nation in 2024, a development that underscored the national significance of Stepien's initial find.

Dr Matthew Knight, curator of prehistory and Bronze Age collections at National Museums Scotland, said the new discovery initially appeared unremarkable but proved to be far more important upon closer inspection. "This is one of those classic archaeological finds that initially doesn't look like much, but is actually really incredible and has many stories to tell," he said. He added that the survival of mould materials is itself highly unusual and that the connection between the two hoards makes the Blyth find even more remarkable.

The hoard has now been transported to the National Museums Collection Centre in Edinburgh, where it will undergo conservation work and detailed analysis. Researchers are particularly interested in studying the copper ingot in the hope that it could reveal the geographic origin of the metals used to make bronze objects in both the Blyth and Peebles hoards. Such analysis could help trace ancient trade routes and pinpoint where the raw materials were sourced.

Excavation work at the site of the Blyth discovery also uncovered an ancient stone cairn, a structure that may have been associated with the burial or ceremonial deposition of the artefacts. The presence of the cairn suggests that the hoard was not simply lost or abandoned but deliberately placed within a meaningful landscape.

Stepien said he was excited when he first realised he had found additional Bronze Age material in an area he already knew to be archaeologically significant. He explained that at the time of the discovery he had no idea how important the find would turn out to be. Reflecting on his two discoveries, he said it was extraordinary to consider that objects he found so close to one another might be connected.

He added that he was looking forward to learning what further research could reveal about both hoards and about the people who created them. His earlier discovery of the Peebles Hoard, which includes the complete horse harness, was widely reported after Stepien described being "over the moon" about his Bronze Age find in 2020.

Under Scots law, any archaeological object discovered in Scotland must be reported to the Treasure Trove Unit, which is based at National Museums Scotland. The unit records and assesses each find, and significant objects may be claimed on behalf of the Crown by the King's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer. These items can then be allocated to museums through the Treasure Trove system, ensuring they are preserved and made available for public benefit.

The Blyth Hoard is expected to follow a similar legal and curatorial process. Its arrival at the national collection centre in Edinburgh marks the beginning of a careful conservation phase, during which specialists will clean, stabilise and study the artefacts before any broader conclusions can be drawn.

Archaeologists are especially keen to understand the relationship between the Blyth and Peebles hoards. The proximity of the two sites, the overlapping date range and the potential use of similar moulds and materials raise the possibility that the same community, or closely connected groups, produced and deposited both collections. The clay moulds from the Blyth site may have been used to make fittings that later appeared in the Peebles Hoard, suggesting a shared craft tradition.

The copper ingot is also of considerable interest because it offers a rare opportunity to investigate the metal supply chain of Late Bronze Age Scotland. By analysing the ingot's composition and trace elements, scientists may be able to determine whether the copper came from local sources or was transported over long distances through exchange networks that linked communities across Britain and Europe.

For Stepien, the discovery represents a remarkable double contribution to Scottish archaeology. His willingness to report both finds has allowed professional archaeologists to excavate the sites properly and recover additional contextual information, including the stone cairn at Blyth. That context is vital for interpreting why the objects were buried and what they meant to the people who placed them there.

The Treasure Trove system ensures that finds of national importance are not lost to private collections but are instead preserved for public benefit. The Peebles Hoard was saved for the nation in 2024, and experts hope the Blyth Hoard will similarly enrich museum collections and public understanding of Scotland's Bronze Age past. Further research and analysis are expected to continue at the National Museums Collection Centre in Edinburgh.