Answer:
1. If you use a metal detector on a beach, you might find loose change or a lost set of keys.
Treasure hunters have better luck in England, where centuries of history are only a few feet
under the earth. Hunters there often find old objects. Less often, they find hoards. In 2009, a
treasure hunter was sweeping his detector across a farmer's fields when he found the
Staffordshire Hoard. This collection of several thousand golden fragments dates to the seventh
century. Why did someone bury this treasure? Historians offer several possible reasons.
2. The fragments form several hundred decorations that were once part of swords and scabbards.
These decorations are made of gold set with garnets, and the craftsmanship is excellent. The
weapons probably belonged to a king or prince. The location of the hoard was, in the seventh
century, an area where many border raids took place. But who would strip weapons of their
decorations and then bury the gold? And why would they break and bend the objects first?
3. Perhaps whoever buried the hoard planned to return for the valuable gold. People in ancient
England sometimes buried treasure to protect it from raiders or to hide it while they traveled.
They marked the spot, intending to return and dig up their wealth. However, almost all of the
hoard's objects were once part of weapons. The coins and jewelry that make up "piggy bank"
burials are absent. This leads historians to consider a different reason for the hoard.
4. England's ancient people believed in a magical world. Gold, for example, was thought to be
magical because it is very hard to destroy. Ancient writings tell of precious items buried as an
offering to gods. No blades are in the hoard, so perhaps someone removed the blades for later
use and buried just the magical gold. This might also explain why the objects were broken. By
making the objects unfit for use, the people proved that their offering was sincere
Explanation:
