50 Finds From Cumbria

Archaeology and the Past

Archaeology is about understanding people in the past from what they have left behind. Objects inform us about how people lived, what they made and what they were used for. There has often been a view that there are no archaeological finds in the north-west. However, through the work of the Portable Antiquities Scheme and the display of existing museum collections, this traditional view is being challenged. By looking at objects discovered in Cumbria, and recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme, we can discover and demonstrate the continuity of activity within this county.

Revealing Cumbria’s Long History

Cumbria has revealed the longevity of its past through a range of both functional and decorative objects. Objects were made and traded from the Copper Age, through the Bronze Age and into the Iron Age and Roman periods; further objects show Early Medieval activity and Post-Medieval artefacts reveal long journeys of religious pilgrimage and persecution. 50 Finds from Cumbria invites us to look at the continuity of our past using intriguing archaeological finds to illustrate what has previously been hidden away.