Experts said they’d so far examined a total of 1,345 items. But they’ve also recovered 56 pieces of earth that X-ray analysis suggests contain more artifacts — meaning the total could rise to about 1,500.
The craftsmanship was some of the highest-quality ever seen in finds of this kind, Leahy said, and many British archeologists clearly shared his enthusiasm.
Bland, who has documented discoveries across Britain, called it “completely unique.”
Martin Welch, a specialist in Anglo-Saxon archeology at University College London, said no one had found “anything like this in this country before.”
Herbert said one expert likened his discovery to finding Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamen’s tomb, adding: “I just flushed all over when he said that. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up.”
The collection is in storage at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, where some of the items were to go on display starting yesterday.
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