Detectorist Unearths Second Bronze Age Hoard Near Peebles Site, Revealing Potential Links to Earlier Find

A metal detectorist has uncovered a second significant cache of Bronze Age artefacts in the Scottish Borders, a discovery that experts say may be directly connected to a celebrated hoard he found nearby several years earlier. The latest find, named the Blyth Hoard, was made by Mariusz Stepien in 2022 at a location roughly seven miles from where he had previously discovered the Peebles Hoard in 2020.

The artefacts have been dated to the Late Bronze Age, a period spanning approximately 1150BC to 850BC. According to the National Museums Scotland (NMS), the Blyth Hoard comprises two bronze axe-heads and clay moulds that may have been used in the production of some of the distinctive bronze fittings found within the earlier Peebles Hoard. The collection also includes a complete copper ingot, which is believed to be the first of its kind to be recovered in Scotland.

Archaeological excavation at the site went beyond the objects themselves. Researchers also identified an ancient stone cairn, a structure that adds further context to the deposition of the hoard and suggests the area held significance for the communities that lived there three millennia ago. The Blyth Hoard has since been transported to the National Museums Collection Centre in Edinburgh, where it will undergo conservation and detailed analysis.

Dr Matthew Knight, curator of prehistory and Bronze Age collections at NMS, described the find as deceptively modest in appearance but rich in archaeological value. He noted that such discoveries often appear unremarkable at first glance, yet carry considerable information about the past. He emphasised that the survival of mould materials is particularly rare, making the Blyth Hoard a special find in its own right. The fact that it was discovered so close to the Peebles Hoard, and appears to share a relationship with it, elevates the discovery to something even more remarkable.

The Peebles Hoard, recovered by Stepien in 2020, was saved for the nation in 2024 and is noted for containing a complete horse harness. Subsequent excavations at that site revealed a sword still inside its scabbard, along with decorated straps, buckles, rings, ornaments and chariot wheel axle caps. The presence of such items has led archaeologists to regard the Peebles assemblage as one of the most important Bronze Age finds in recent Scottish history.

The proximity of the two hoards has raised the possibility that they were deposited by the same community or during a related period of activity. Experts hope that scientific analysis of the copper ingot from the Blyth Hoard could help pinpoint the geographical origin of the metals used to make the bronze objects in both collections. Such work could illuminate trade routes and exchange networks that operated across Britain and beyond during the Late Bronze Age, when copper and tin were combined to produce bronze tools, weapons and ornaments.

For Stepien, the second discovery came as a surprise despite his familiarity with the area. He explained that he had been excited to find more Bronze Age material in a location he already understood to be archaeologically significant. At the time, he had no sense of how important the find would prove to be. Reflecting on the relationship between the two hoards, he described it as extraordinary that discoveries he made so close to one another could be connected, and said he looked forward to learning what further research might reveal about both assemblages and the people who created them.

Under Scots law, archaeological finds made in Scotland must be reported to the Treasure Trove Unit, which is based at NMS. The unit records and assesses each discovery. Significant finds may be claimed on behalf of the Crown by the King's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer and then allocated to museums through the Treasure Trove system, ensuring they are preserved and made available for public benefit. This legal framework has allowed both the Peebles Hoard and the Blyth Hoard to be properly documented and cared for.

The Blyth Hoard adds to a growing body of evidence about life in the Scottish Borders during the Late Bronze Age. The region appears to have been part of a wider cultural landscape in which metalworking, ritual deposition and long-distance exchange played important roles. The presence of clay moulds is especially valuable because it offers a rare window into the manufacturing process, suggesting that bronze objects were being produced or repaired in the vicinity rather than simply imported as finished goods.

The copper ingot may serve as a crucial clue in tracing the movement of raw materials. By comparing its chemical signature with those of other Bronze Age metals found across Britain and Europe, researchers may be able to determine where the copper was mined. That information could, in turn, shed light on the networks that linked communities separated by considerable distances. The possibility that the ingot is connected to the bronze fittings of the Peebles Hoard makes the Blyth discovery particularly compelling for archaeologists.

Conservation work at the National Museums Collection Centre will involve cleaning and stabilising the objects before they are studied in detail. Analysis may include metallurgical testing, examination of the mould residues and radiocarbon dating of any associated organic material. Each of these approaches could contribute to a more precise understanding of when the hoard was buried and why. Ritual deposition, caching for safekeeping and accidental loss are among the explanations scholars consider when interpreting such finds.

The discovery also highlights the role that responsible metal detecting can play in archaeological research. Stepien reported his finds promptly, allowing professional archaeologists to investigate the sites and recover additional information that might otherwise have been lost. The collaboration between detectorists and heritage bodies has become an increasingly important element of archaeological practice in Scotland, where many significant finds are made by members of the public.

The Blyth Hoard is expected to feature in future research publications and may eventually go on public display. For now, it remains part of an unfolding story that links two separate discoveries made by the same individual within a few years and a few miles of each other. The artefacts themselves are modest in size, but their implications for understanding Late Bronze Age Scotland are potentially far-reaching.

As analysis proceeds, curators and archaeologists will be looking for signs that the two hoards were deposited as part of a single episode or tradition. The relationship between them may help to build a more detailed picture of how bronze objects were made, used and eventually buried in the ground. For Stepien, the experience of finding both hoards has been remarkable, and he continues to await the results of research that could connect his two discoveries in ways he never anticipated.