A significant haul of Bronze Age treasure has been located in Llandeusant by metal detecting enthusiast Richard Trew.

Earlier this week, an inquest heard that in November 2020 Mr Trew was detecting on land close to the village of Llanddeusant and south of Llandovery, when he discovered a large collection of artefacts.

They included a spearhead, three small spear fragments, a bracelet fragment, nine ribbed socketed axes, two plain socketed axes, one faceted axe, two sheet bronze fragments and a casting jet.

Each object is understood to date back to the late Bronze Age and they were all buried together as a hoard around 1,000-800 BC Investigations which were subsequently carried out by the Dyfed Archaeological Trust.

The National Museum Wales suggest that the artefacts were buried together in a specially dug pit, seemingly far away from any Bronze Age settlement.

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“I felt as though I was taken back in time,” said Mr Trew following the inquest.

“No other words can describe it. I couldn’t stop laughing as I kept finding more objects. I will never forget the moment, and it will be with me forever.”

Christopher Griffiths, a doctoral student based at the University of Reading and the National Museum Wales, believes that the large bronze spearhead, which was struck by a blunt tool and snapped in half prior to its burial, had been carefully placed at the top of the hoard.

“It’s possible that this was carried out during a ceremony held by a local Bronze Age community and intended as a sacrifice to the gods,” he said.

The finds were officially declared as treasure earlier this week by acting senior coroner for Carmarthenshire, Mr Paul Bennett.