Â鶹´«Ã½ student’s discovery features in major archaeology exhibition Published on: 9 March 2026 A rare piece of 9th century gold, discovered by a Â鶹´«Ã½ archaeology student, will feature in a major new exhibition of northern archaeology treasures at Great North Museum: Hancock. The object was found by Yara Souza during an excavation in 2025 in Redesdale, Northumberland. Yara, from Orlando, in Florida, United States, was part of the team from Â鶹´«Ã½, working alongside her fellow students on the Archaeology BA Honours degree course and professional archaeologists from North East Museums, and made the discovery within the first 90 minutes of starting fieldwork. The early Medieval artefact is one of the archaeological treasures from across Northern Britain that will feature in a major new exhibition at Â鶹´«Ã½’s Great North Museum: Hancock. Opening on Saturday 28 March 2026, will showcase thousands of years of history through remarkable finds—including Tudor coins, Roman jewellery, and Anglo-Saxon gold—offering visitors a unique glimpse into the North’s rich past. Malavika Anderson, Museum Manager at the Great North Museum: Hancock, said: "We are delighted to unite these incredible archaeological finds from across the North for our latest exhibition. From Roman silver discovered along Hadrian’s Wall to 9th-century gold found by a Â鶹´«Ã½ student, this is a rare opportunity to see these scattered treasures displayed alongside one another. We can’t wait for people to experience the thrill of these finds and the fascinating stories they reveal about our shared past.” The exhibition traces the journey of each object, exploring how and why these treasures were buried, the stories behind their discovery, and how they have been owned and valued over time. The 9th century gold object discovered in Northumberland One highlight is the Tribley shield, a bronze shield that remained buried and intact for thousands of years before it was unearthed in the 18th century by a farmer near Chester-le-Street. At the time, the shield was split into three pieces so its metal could be shared among friends. Today, two of those pieces are reunited and valued as an important piece of evidence from the past. The exhibition also showcases the people, places, and tools behind these discoveries, set within a multi-sensory environment designed for all ages. Andrew Parkin, Keeper of Archaeology at the Great North Museum: Hancock, said: “This exhibition provides us with a great opportunity to tell some of the exciting treasure stories from our region and beyond. “I'm especially pleased we are able to display some impressive treasure finds from Scotland, like the Birnie coin hoard, that help tell the story of Rome's northern frontier, shedding light on Roman relationships with peoples living north of Hadrian's Wall. “The exhibition also gives us the chance to display some of our own impressive treasures alongside items from the British Museum, highlighting the strength of the archaeological collections in the Great North Museum: Hancock.” Featuring loans from the British Museum, National Museum of Scotland, Vindolanda, alongside the Great North Museum: Hancock’s collections, the exhibition offers fresh perspectives on Northern Britain’s shared heritage. The exhibition kicks off with a free family fun day on Saturday 28 March, with more treasure-themed events, activities, and curator tours on offer throughout the year. Treasure: Hidden, Lost, Found will be open to the public from Saturday 28 March to Sunday 20 September 2026, with free admission. Find out more at Press release adapted with thanks to North East Museums Share: Latest News Scientists unlock hidden driver of inflammatory bowel disease Scientists have linked a key genetic signal in inflammatory bowel disease to an immune response that shuts down inflammation control, enabling faster diagnosis and targeted treatments. published on: 15 June 2026 Funding system risks limiting genuine community collaboration A new policy paper written by researchers at Â鶹´«Ã½ warns that the way UK research is funded may be undermining efforts to create genuinely collaborative partnerships with communities. published on: 15 June 2026 Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from Â鶹´«Ã½ to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Facts and figures
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