The Staffordshire Hoard: Gold of the Anglo-Saxon Kings

By Peter H. Fairbanks

The Staffordshire Hoard: Gold of the Anglo-Saxon Kings by Peter H. Fairbanks takes readers deep into one of the most extraordinary discoveries in British history-the unearthing of a hidden treasure buried for over thirteen centuries beneath a quiet Staffordshire field. In 2009, a metal detectorist searching farmland near Lichfield uncovered fragments of gold and garnet that would stun the world. What followed was the revelation of over four thousand artifacts-sword fittings, helmet fragments, crosses, and royal ornaments-crafted with breathtaking skill during the age of Mercian kings.

Fairbanks traces the hoard's story from that fateful summer day to the meticulous archaeological dig that followed, revealing how a handful of glittering fragments reshaped our understanding of Anglo-Saxon England. He explores the world that produced such magnificence: a kingdom of warrior-lords and goldsmiths, of pagan symbols mingling with Christian crosses, and of buried riches whose silence outlasted empires.

Through vivid prose and historical depth, The Staffordshire Hoard: Gold of the Anglo-Saxon Kings brings to life a world where gold was not merely wealth, but power, devotion, and destiny. Fairbanks follows the hoard from its burial near the Roman road of Watling Street to its rediscovery in the twenty-first century, weaving together archaeology, myth, and the enduring fascination with hidden treasure.

Drawing on museum research, conservation reports, and eyewitness accounts of the discovery, this book unveils the human stories behind the gold-the kings who ruled Mercia, the artisans who shaped it, and the modern scholars who painstakingly pieced it back together.

Ideal for readers captivated by lost treasures, ancient mysteries, and the glimmer of history reborn, The Staffordshire Hoard: Gold of the Anglo-Saxon Kings blends meticulous research with cinematic storytelling, revealing how a buried trove of gold became a bridge between myth and history-and a reminder that the past still waits beneath our feet.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FVT7B7DG
• ISBN13: 9798269188362
• Release Date: October 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 0.31 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 5.5" x 8.5"