From Field to Museum: the Treasure Trove System

In Scotland, ownerless property belongs to the Crown, which includes archaeological finds. The treasure trove system and the Treasure Trove Unit process the thousands of artefacts recovered by members of the public, claiming those of significance so that they can be preserved in museum collections. Groam House Museum has acquired some truly exciting finds through the treasure trove process, and Emily will be exploring a few of them in their wider context.

Emily will also cover the history of the treasure trove system, the current process, and what the future will look like for the Treasure Trove Unit.

Emily is responsible for leading the operations of the Treasure Trove Unit (TTU) in analysing, assessing, and recording archaeological finds from across Scotland. Based at National Museums Scotland, Emily has been working with metal detected finds for over a decade, including volunteering with the Staffordshire Hoard project at Birmingham Museums Trust and recording finds for the Portable Antiquities Scheme as Headley Trust Intern for the West Midlands. She has been part of the TTU since 2017 and holds a particular interest in how museum collections in Scotland have been impacted by the application of Treasure Trove law.