A new study has revealed that Thetford in East Anglia stayed Pagan much longer than historians once believed.
Jewelry from a Roman treasure hoard found in Thetford Forest suggests that Pagan practices continued there into the fifth century, well after the fall of the Roman Empire.
The treasure, known as the Thetford Hoard, was discovered in 1979 by a metal detectorist trespassing on a construction site at Fison’s Way on Gallows Hill.
The hoard included 81 items, such as 22 gold rings, other pieces of gold jewelry, and 36 silver spoons and strainers.
Today, these beautiful objects are kept at the British Museum, where they are on public display.
Professor Ellen Swift from the University of Kent, who led the new research, argues that the hoard was buried in the fifth century, not the late fourth century as previously thought.
She points to detailed comparisons with other archaeological finds across Europe, including items from the Hoxne hoard, another important treasure discovered more recently.
The new dating suggests that Thetford was not just surviving but thriving as a Pagan religious center during this time.
Swift explains that the hoard’s religious objects, like the decorated spoons, show clear links to Pagan worship.
Since the site was already known for its religious significance, the new dating now paints a picture of a powerful local center where old Pagan traditions held strong, even as much of Britain moved toward Christianity.
Another surprising discovery from the study is that Britain was not as cut off from the rest of Europe as once believed. Many items in the Thetford Hoard came from far across the Roman Empire.
For example, some of the latest-dating gold rings likely came from northern Italy or nearby regions, and a necklace with conical beads is thought to have originated from the Balkans.
Most of the jewelry reflects a “Mediterranean Roman” style, showing how elites across different parts of Europe shared a common culture, even at the edge of the Roman world.
Overall, the Thetford Hoard not only shines new light on Britain’s religious history but also shows how connected ancient Britain was to the broader Roman world, even as the empire itself was falling apart.
Source: KSR.
