Detectorist Uncovers Second Bronze Age Hoard Near Landmark Peebles Find in Scottish Borders

A metal detectorist has made an unexpected second discovery of Bronze Age treasure in the Scottish Borders, unearthing a collection of 3,000-year-old artefacts just seven miles from where he had previously found a nationally significant hoard.

Mariusz Stepien, who located the celebrated Peebles Hoard in 2020, returned to the same archaeologically rich landscape in 2022 and uncovered another assemblage of ancient objects. The latest find has been named the Blyth Hoard and dates to the Late Bronze Age, a period spanning roughly 1150BC to 850BC.

The Blyth Hoard contains two bronze axe-heads alongside clay moulds that archaeologists believe may have been used to produce some of the distinctive bronze fittings found in the nearby Peebles Hoard. It also includes a complete copper ingot, which experts say is the first example of its kind to be discovered in Scotland.

The discovery has been described by curators as "quite extraordinary," not only because of the objects themselves but because of the rare archaeological relationship between the two hoards. The proximity of the sites, combined with surviving mould material, may allow researchers to reconstruct how bronze objects were manufactured and exchanged during the Late Bronze Age.

Excavation at the site by archaeologists went beyond the initial detectorist find, revealing an ancient stone cairn. The presence of such a structure adds further context to the deposit and suggests the hoard was placed within a deliberate, possibly ceremonial, landscape rather than simply lost or abandoned.

The Blyth Hoard has now been transferred to the National Museums Collection Centre in Edinburgh, where it will undergo conservation and detailed analysis. Specialists hope that scientific examination of the copper ingot could identify the geographical origin of the metals used in both the Blyth and Peebles hoards, offering new insight into trade and movement across Bronze Age Britain and beyond.

Dr Matthew Knight, curator of prehistory and Bronze Age collections at National Museums Scotland, said the find initially appeared unremarkable but had proven to be highly significant. He noted that it is extremely rare for mould materials to survive at all, making the Blyth Hoard a special discovery in its own right, and that its connection to the Peebles Hoard makes it even more remarkable.

The Peebles Hoard, discovered by Stepien in 2020, was saved for the nation in 2024. It includes a complete horse harness as well as a sword still in its scabbard, decorated straps, buckles, rings, ornaments and chariot wheel axle caps. The presence of clay moulds at the Blyth site that may relate to fittings in the Peebles Hoard suggests the two finds could be part of a wider network of metalworking activity in the area.

Stepien said he was excited when he first realised he had found more Bronze Age material in a location he already knew to be archaeologically significant. He explained that at the time he had no idea how important the discovery might turn out to be. Reflecting on his two finds so close to one another, he said it was extraordinary to think that they could be connected.

The detectorist added that he is looking forward to seeing what further research reveals about both hoards and about the people who made and used them, underscoring how chance discoveries can open new windows onto prehistoric life.

Under Scots law, archaeological finds made in Scotland must be reported to the Treasure Trove Unit, which is based at National Museums Scotland. The unit records and assesses each discovery, and significant finds may be claimed on behalf of the Crown by the King's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer before being allocated to museums through the Treasure Trove system.

That legal framework ensures important artefacts can be preserved and made available for public benefit rather than disappearing into private collections. The Blyth Hoard will now follow that process while conservation work and analysis continue in Edinburgh.

The discovery also highlights the role of responsible metal detecting in archaeological research. Amateur detectorists who report their finds promptly can provide professionals with vital leads, and in this case the relationship between two separate discoveries has created a rare opportunity to study Late Bronze Age metalworking in the Scottish Borders.

For now, the Blyth Hoard remains the subject of ongoing scientific investigation. Researchers will examine the composition of the copper ingot, the manufacture of the axe-heads and the function of the clay moulds, hoping to build a clearer picture of the communities that lived in the region three millennia ago.

The story of the two hoards is far from complete, but the latest find has already strengthened the case that the Scottish Borders held a special place in the Bronze Age world, one where valuable objects were crafted, buried and perhaps deliberately linked across generations.