As Ross works to restore his familyās land and fortune, he meets Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson), a poor servant girl, and eventually marries her. Together, they face the hardships of 18th-century life, including class struggles, societal expectations, and personal turmoil. Rossās new marriage brings him joy but also complicates his feelings as he struggles with his growing responsibilities, his business ventures, and his previous attachment to Elizabeth.
Throughout the series, Ross finds himself at the forefront of political struggles, as he becomes involved in social causes and defies the corrupt elites in Cornwall. His work to fight for the rights of common people and to challenge the injustices of the time often places him in dangerous situations, both socially and politically. Alongside his personal journey, the series explores the lives of the other characters, including Francisās financial woes and Elizabethās complicated feelings towards Ross and her marriage to Francis.
The relationships inĀ PoldarkĀ are central to the drama, particularly the intense love story between Ross and Demelza. Their bond grows and strengthens throughout the series, though they face numerous trials including jealousy, betrayal, and misunderstandings. The series delves into the complexity of their marriage, as well as the impact of the characters’ decisions on their family and community. It is a tale of love and loyalty, but also of ambition and the cost of challenging the status quo.
As the series progresses, Ross faces mounting challenges in both his personal and professional life, including economic hardship, political unrest, and betrayal from those closest to him. Despite these obstacles, he remains determined to fight for justice, protect his family, and safeguard the legacy of the land heās working hard to rebuild.Ā PoldarkĀ concludes with a satisfying yet poignant resolution, showing the growth and change in its characters, particularly Ross, who transforms from a broken man into a hero who has fought for what he believes is right.
A Farmerās Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain
November 16, 1992 was the day which changed Suffolk-resident Eric Lawesā life in a huge way. What he thought would have been an innocent search for a hammer he had misplaced on his farm in Hoxne Village, Suffolk, England ended up bringing him much more than he had bargained for ā namely, uncovering the hiding spot of a long-hidden treasure.
Based on the Guardianās coverage of the story, Eric Lawes had been previously gifted a metal detector upon his retirement as a parting token. He decided to put his retirement gift to good use in order to locate the hammer which he had had some trouble finding.
According to a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article, when the device started recording that there was a strong signal coming from the earth, he knew that he was about to discover something big. As he started digging, it soon became clear to him that he had unearthed a treasure trove.
Hoxne Village. Photo by Duncan Grey CC BY-SA 2.0
The Guardian reports that, when Lawes saw that his preliminary digging had yielded a few gold coins and silver spoons, he immediately contacted both the local archaeological society and the police department.
Archaeologists came to the property the following day and had the area of earth holding the treasure carefully sectioned-off and removed. Their hope was that at a later stage, in their laboratory, they could examined the items in order to identify both their age and how they were stored.
Hoxne Hoard: Display case at the British Museum showing a reconstruction of the arrangement of the hoard treasure when excavated in 1992. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0
When all was said and done, close to 60 pounds of items made from silver and gold were found on the site. These included more than 15,000 Roman coins, 200 gold objects, and several silver spoons.
For archaeologists, this find ā which later became labeled as the Hoxne Hoard ā was an incredible discovery. AP News reported that archaeologist Judith Plouviez was over-the-moon about the discovery, saying that it was āan incredibly exciting and amazing find.ā Whatās more, another archaeologist, Rachel Wilkinson, told Smithsonian Magazine that this discovery was āthe largest and latest ever found in Britain.ā
Hoxne Hoard: Coins. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0
Ordinarily, archaeologists would use radiocarbon dating as a means of identifying the age of ancient relics. However, they couldnāt locate any suitable material from the haul. Consequently, they determined the age by examining writing on the coins, as well as the ruler carved into them, estimating that the treasure was probably buried in either 408 or 409 AD.
The silver āHoxne Tigressā ā the broken-off handle from an unknown object ā is the best known single piece out of some 15,000 in the hoard. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0
Roman-era archaeologist Peter Guest told Smithsonian Magazine that āif you look at them a little more carefully, then they should be dated to the period after the separation of Britain from the Roman Empire.ā
He offers as part of his evidence the fact that almost all of the coins found in the Hoxne Hoard were clipped ā in other words, small chunks of their edges had been taken off. These clippings would have been used to create coins which were similar to the Roman coins of that era.
A silver-gilt spoon with a marine beast from the Hoxne Hoard. Currently in the British Museum. Photo by JMiall CC BY-SA 3.0
Guest has a logical reason for this, arguing that āThe Roman Empire wasnāt supplying Britain with new gold and silver coins, and in light of that, the population tried to get over this sudden cutoff in the supply of their precious metals by making the existing supplies go further.ā
Reconstruction of the Hoxne treasure chest. Photo by Mike Peel CC-BY-SA-4.0
Archaeologists also believe that the treasure belonged to a Romano-British family. During that time, considering that there was so much societal discord and upheaval, it was common for Romans who had settled in Britain to bury their most prized possessions.
Two gold bracelets from the Hoxne Hoard, in the British Museum. Photo by FƦ CC BY-SA 3.0
That said, one archaeologist is of the belief that the hoard had a lot of sentimental value for the Romano-British family to whom it is believed to have belonged. In her bookĀ The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate, Catherine Johns claims that the manner in which the treasure was kept supported this claim.
Some of the items which were recovered had been packaged in small, wooden boxes which were lined with leather. Whatās more, pieces of wood, locks, and nails, among other things, surrounded the gold and silver pieces. This leads Catherine to assert that the package was carefully buried and not simply chucked away in a rush.
Three silver-gilt Roman piperatoria or pepper pots from the Hoxne Hoard on display at the British Museum
Interestingly enough, the items unearthed might shed some light on the identity of the family who owned them. They cite a gold bracelet bearing the inscription āUTERE FELIX DOMINA IULIANE,ā which roughly translates to āuse this happily Lady Julianeā.
A second name āAurelius Ursicinusā has also been discovered. This has consequently led some to believe that Juliane and Aurelius were the couple and the original owners of the treasure. That said, that has yet to be confirmed.
Two toiletry items, one in the shape of a crane-like bird; the other with an empty socket, probably for bristles for a makeup brush. Photo by FƦ CC BY-SA 3.0
All in all, the discovery was a real treasure for archaeologists, and by extension, for Lawes. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in recognition of his discovery and willingness to contact authorities, the British government rewarded him with over £1.7 million, an amount which he shared with the farmer whose land was dug out in order to get the treasure.
Funnily enough, apart from the treasure, Lawes also found his lost hammer ā which now resides in the British Museum.
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