Milton Keynes Hoard
Reproductions of the Milton Keynes Hoard of torcs and bracelets
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| Material | Gold, bronze, pottery |
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| Size | 2 gold torcs, 3 gold bracelets, bronze rod fragment, pottery bowl |
| Period/culture | Bronze Age Britain (middle to late) |
| Discovered | Monkston, Milton Keynes by Gordon Heritage and Michael Rutland in September 2000 |
| Present location | British Museum, London |
| Identification | 2000 (Fig 5) P&EE 2002.7–1.1–7 |
Coordinates: 52°02′06″N 0°42′00″W / 52.035°N 0.70°W
The Milton Keynes Hoard is a hoard of Bronze Age gold found in September 2000 in a field near Monkston, Milton Keynes, England. The hoard consisted of two torcs, three bracelets, and a fragment of bronze rod contained in a pottery vessel. The inclusion of pottery in the find enabled it to be dated to around 1150–800 BC.
Weighing in at 2.020 kg (4.45 lb), the hoard was described by the British Museum as "one of the biggest concentrations of Bronze Age gold known from Great Britain". The find was deemed important for providing a "social and economic picture" for the period. The hoard was valued at £290,000 and now resides at the British Museum.
Milton Keynes has also been the locality of many other finds of antiquity, including several Romano-British hoard finds within a 10–12 miles (16–19 km) radius of the centre of Milton Keynes.
On 7 July 2000, Michael Rutland and Gordon Heritage were metal detecting in a field in Monkston, Milton Keynes at the invitation of local archaeologists who were closing a nearby dig, when they discovered the hoard. They immediately informed the archaeologists (Brian Giggins and Paul and Charmian Woodfield) – an action which was later cited as imperative in preserving the historical context of the find. Hayley Bullock of the British Museum was also praised for acting quickly to preserve the site and expedite excavation. The metal detectorists who found the hoard were rewarded with 60% of the value after the authorities decided that the landowners' claim that the finders had searched without permission was unfounded.
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