When metal detectorist Mariusz Stępień’s detector pinged in the Scottish Borders in 2020, he could never have guessed he was about to uncover one of the most extraordinary archaeological finds in Scottish history. Now, three years later, this remarkable collection of Bronze Age artifacts—dubbed the Peebles Hoard—has found its permanent home at National Museums Scotland, where it continues to astonish experts with its secrets.

The Peebles Hoard contains over 500 bronze and organic artifacts dating back to 1000–800 B.C.E. The collection includes several items never before found in western Europe, promising to transform current understanding of Bronze Age Scotland, after lying undisturbed for three millennia.

A selection of Bronze Age bronze objects from the Peebles Hoard. Image © National Museums Scotland

Among the hoard’s most significant finds are two rattle pendants—the first ever discovered in Scotland. These intricate objects, typically found in Denmark, northern Germany, and northern Poland, consist of interlinked bronze rings and pendant plates that would rattle when attached to horses or wooden vehicles. Their discovery demonstrates Scotland’s participation in a broader North Sea trading network during the Bronze Age.

The treasure trove’s preservation is nothing short of miraculous. A sword still snug in its wooden scabbard, delicate bronze buttons still threaded on their original cords, and intricate decorative straps that look almost ready to use, though their exact purpose remains a mystery.

A decorated bronze fitting from the Bronze Age Peebles Hoard Image (c) National Museums Scotland

An extraordinary hoard called for extraordinary excavation measures, requiring the use of an innovative retrieval process. The entire hoard was removed from the ground as a single block and underwent CT scanning at the University of Southampton’s µ-VIS X-ray Imaging Centre. This revealed some of the earliest evidence of lost-wax casting in Scotland, a sophisticated bronze-working technique rarely documented in Bronze Age Britain.

X-ray of four Bronze Age objects from the Peebles Hoard. Image © National Museums Scotland

“The Peebles Hoard is exceptional,” said Matthew Knight, senior curator of Prehistory at National Museums Scotland, in a statement. “It’s an utterly unique discovery that rewrites our understanding of both Bronze Age communities in Scotland and our prehistoric international connections.”

The scanning itself proved to be no simple feat, according to Ian Sinclair from Southampton’s µ-VIS X-ray Imaging Centre. “CT scanning the hoard was certainly a big challenge due to the scale,” he admitted, but his team relished bringing their engineering expertise to such a remarkable historical find.

A frame from the pre-excavation CT scan of the Peebles Hoard. Image © µ-VIS X-ray Imaging Centre, University of Southampton

Now, National Museums Scotland faces its next challenge: raising funds to preserve these priceless artifacts for future generations. With delicate organic materials threatening to deteriorate, conservators are racing against time to unlock all the secrets this extraordinary collection has yet to reveal about the ancient world’s international trade, craftsmanship, and style.