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Back-garden archaeology: Britons unearth artefacts during lockdown

<span>Photograph: British Museum/PA</span>
Photograph: British Museum/PA

Neolithic arrowheads and an ancient belt hook are among several historical artefacts unearthed in Britons’ back gardens during lockdown.

The British Museum’s portable antiquities scheme has been notified of a number of archaeological discoveries from people who had extra time to tend to their gardens during the weeks of restrictions.

Among these treasures is a post-medieval belt hook in the shape of a snake found in Herefordshire, and a medieval silver coin discovered beneath a lawn in Stoke-on-Trent. In Coventry, a rock with script thought to date from the fourth century was found. Meanwhile, eight fragments of Roman greyware pottery were found in the Leicestershire village of Wymeswold.

Peter Reavill, a finds liaison officer, said that fossils “found when people have been digging flowerbeds” were sent to his local museum in Shropshire.

Related: Treasures found by the British public – in pictures

“With so many people spending so much more time in their gardens, there have been some really interesting finds,” he told PA Media.

“I’ve seen some tobacco pipes, some pieces of pottery and even prehistoric flint tools found in people’s gardens.”

While they may not be valuable treasure, they often say something “very interesting about the local history”, he said.

Related: Talks on Stonehenge road tunnel delayed by neolithic find

“People find stuff all the time, and put it on one side and say, ‘That’s interesting, I’ll do something with that.’

“But they’ve had the time now to get in touch and say, ‘I found this. What is it?’

“And that’s one of the benefits of lockdown – people have had time to consider where they are and who have gone before them – most importantly they have had the time to get in touch with their discoveries.”

A medieval iconographic finger ring.
A medieval iconographic finger ring. Photograph: British Museum/PA

Michael Lewis, head of portable antiquities and treasure at the British Museum, urged gardeners not to be embarrassed about checking whether their discovery may be significant.

“During the period of total lockdown, a number of garden finds have come to light as people have been digging their gardens whilst off work or unable to go out as much as usual,” he said.

“Finders can be shy about showing finds liaison officers their garden finds, but we are keen to see what is discovered by the public. Often people don’t realise the archaeological significance of what they find.”

They are urged to notify the British Museum’s portable antiquities scheme, at finds.org.uk, about the objects, which help experts and the public learn about the past.

“Most finders get to keep their discoveries,” Lewis added.