Rare Bronze Age hoard saved for the nation, and will go on show next summer

Press images are available here. 

The spearhead has an intricately decorated gold-bound socket, one of only two such examples known from Scotland. It was discovered alongside a bronze sword with an unusual lead-tin pommel, still sheathed in the remains of a wooden scabbard. The sword was carefully wrapped in a woven wool garment, fastened with a disc-headed pin; the spearhead blade was wrapped in sheepskin, and the socket was wrapped in a fine woollen cloth. The weapons hint at the existence of a localised warrior elite in the Angus area over 3,000 years ago. 

The hoard was deliberately and thoughtfully placed near a Bronze Age round structure. This is the only Bronze Age weapon hoard from Scotland to be found within a clearly defined settlement, offering a unique opportunity to explore the relationship between these treasured objects and the lives of the people who crafted and used them. The survival of prehistoric textiles and organic material is also extremely rare and reveals an extra layer of the care and attention that went into the formation of the hoard. 

Dr Matthew Knight, Senior Curator of Prehistory at National Museums Scotland, said: 

“The Carnoustie Hoard is a remarkable discovery. This is the first time we’ve encountered weapons buried at a settlement where people lived. It forces us to reconsider relationships between people and these objects and enriches our picture of life in Bronze Age Scotland. On top of that we have the exceptional survival of wood, textiles and animal skin that express how much these objects were valued. After hours of painstaking conservation, I can’t wait to for visitors to see the hoard for the first time in our new exhibition Scotland’s First Warriors.” 

Alongside the Carnoustie Hoard, Scotland’s First Warriors will include never-before-seen internationally significant archaeological discoveries from across Scotland. From the Neolithic (late Stone Age) to the coming of the Romans, the exhibition will present the origins of organised conflict. It will explore how people fought, the motivations for fighting, the brutal impact of war on people’s lives and the long-lasting legacy of prehistoric conflict. 

The hoard was unearthed in 2016 by GUARD Archaeology near Carnoustie, in an area that was due to be developed into two football pitches. The full assemblage of archaeological finds from site represents a nationally significant group of objects spanning nearly 3000 years from the early Neolithic to the late Bronze Age.  

Scotland’s First Warriors 
27th June 2026 - 17th May 2027 
National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF 

Admission Free 

nms.ac.uk/ScotlandsFirstWarriors