Issued by University of Leicester Press Office on 28 January 2011

A two thousand year old dog that was sacrificed and buried to guard the Hallaton Treasure will go on display for the first time at Harborough Museum in Leicestershire. Visitors can catch a first glimpse of it when it goes on display at the museum on Saturday 29th January.  

The Hallaton dog was one of three large dogs whose remains were buried at the Iron Age shrine between AD 1 and 50.  The skeleton chosen for display is from the second dog buried in the entranceway of the shrine and is the most complete.  

Until recently the remains were held at University of Leicester where they were studied and pieced back together by specialists at the University of Leicester Archaeological Services.  The dog bones will be housed in a specially designed case located in the entranceway to the Hallaton Treasure Gallery, imitating the location of the dog burial at the shrine.

It is thought likely that the dog was sacrificed and buried at the site by members of the Corieltavi tribe who lived in the area around Hallaton in the early 1st century AD.  The dog was around the same height and build as a modern German Shepherd and was quite old by the time it died.  It was above average height for an Iron Age canine and this has led to speculation that it was a guard dog buried to safeguard the shrine and its treasures which included over 5000 Iron Age and Roman coins, a Roman cavalry parade helmet and other mysterious silver objects.

Vicki Score, the university's project manager, said: "The Hallaton site is surrounded by a boundary ditch.

"The skeleton of the dog was discovered at the entrance to the site, buried in a slot in the ground. We believe it was bound and sacrificed and buried to guard the coin offerings. It was in an awkward position, looking at the hoard. Unfortunately, the back legs are missing - they could have been ploughed away."

Ms Score added that the skeleton was buried on top of the remains of another dog and there was evidence of a third. "It may be it was felt the previous guard dog had lost its power to protect. It would have been considered an honour for the dog, which was probably quite old, to be sacrificed in this way."

David Sprason, Leicestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults and Communities said:

“It is fitting that the remains of this dog be reunited with the magnificent objects from the Hallaton Treasure and find a new home at the award-winning Harborough Museum.  The dog’s story is yet another intriguing aspect of this nationally important find and illustrates the special relationship between humans and dogs that has existed for thousands of years.”

Visitors to the Museum on Saturday 29 January will be the first people to view the dog on display.  On this day younger visitors will be encouraged to draw a picture of how they think the dog may have looked when it was alive.  They can also draw a picture of their pet and add it to the Museum’s “Pets Corner” which celebrates our pets and what they mean to us.  Older visitors can print out a picture of their pet at home and bring it in to add to Pets Corner.  There will also be the chance to vote on a new name for the Hallaton dog to welcome it to the Museum.

A week long event, Have You Seen This Dog? starts on Saturday 19 February when the fun continues with a selection of free canine crafts and activities.

For further details about the Treasure Project and Harborough Museum, see the following background details.

For more information about Harborough Museum and the Southeast Leicestershire Treasure Project, please contact Helen Sharp, Project Officer, at Harborough Museum, on 01858 821087 or email helen.sharp@leics.gov.uk or Zara Matthews, Keeper of Harborough Museum, also on 01858 821087 or email zara.matthews@leics.gov.uk 

Please visit our website www.leics.gov.uk/harboroughmuseum 

Harborough Museum is operated in partnership by Leicestershire County Council, Harborough District Council and the Market Harborough Historical Society.

Above: Artist's impression of the Hallaton dog. Copyright: Leicestershire County Council

-Ends-

Background information

The Southeast Leicestershire Treasure is the archive of material produced by several stages of archaeological work undertaken by local community archaeologists and University of Leicester Archaeological Services. The site proved to be an internationally important ritual site dating mostly to the generations before and after the Roman Conquest of Britain in the 1st century AD.

The purpose of the project is purchase, conserve, interpret and promote the Southeast Leicestershire Treasure.  The cost of the project is £933,872 which includes purchasing the finds, conserving the finds, displays at Harborough Museum and at Hallaton Museum, two touring exhibitions, web based resources, workshops for schools and community groups, and events for the public.

The project is supported by grants from The Heritage Lottery Fund of £650,600, £100,000 from The Art Fund, the UK’s leading independent art charity, £35,000 from the Museums and Art Galleries Improvements Fund, £35,000 from the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, The Headley Trust, Renaissance East Midlands and local contributions from the Friends of Leicester and Leicestershire Museums, the Leicestershire Museums Archaeological Fieldwork Group and the County Council, as well as private individuals.  The support of Harborough District Council is also gratefully acknowledged.

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn more about our diverse heritage.  From our great museums and historic buildings to local parks and beauty spots or recording and celebrating traditions, customs and history, HLF grants open up our nation’s heritage for everyone to enjoy. Since its conception, HLF has supported 26,000 projects allocating over £4 billion across the UK.

The Art Fund is the UK’s leading independent art charity. It offers grants to help UK museums and galleries enrich their collections; campaigns on behalf of museums and their visitors; and promotes the enjoyment of art.  It is entirely funded from public donations and has 80,000 members. Since 1903 the charity has helped museums and galleries all over the UK secure 860,000 works of art for their collections. Recent achievements include: helping secure Titian’s Diana and Actaeon for the National Galleries of Scotland and the National Gallery, London in February 2009 with a grant of £1 million; helping secure Anthony d’Offay’s collection, ARTIST ROOMS, for Tate and National Galleries of Scotland in February 2008 with a grant of £1million; and running the ‘Buy a Brushstroke’ public appeal which raised over £550,000 to keep Turner’s Blue Rigi watercolour in the UK. For more information contact the Press Office on 020 7225 4888 or visit the website.

The Art Fund is a Registered Charity No. 209174

The MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund is a government fund, established at the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in 1881 as part of its nationwide work.  The annual grants budget, currently £900,000, is provided by the Museums, Libraries, Archives Council (MLA).  The Fund supports the acquisition of objects relating to the arts, literature, and history by regional museums, record offices and specialist libraries in England and Wales.  Each year it considers some 250 applications and awards grants to around100 organisations, enabling acquisitions of over £4million to go ahead.

Visit the website.

The Headley Museums Archaeological Acquisition Fund has been established by the Headley Trust, one of the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts. Its trustees realise the great difficulties many regional and local museums find in raising the money to buy archaeological artefacts. They are also aware of the proliferation of finds as a consequence of the success of the Portable Antiquities Scheme. The Headley initiative is intended to help museums secure and display notable finds. The Headley Scheme runs alongside and in collaboration with the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund.  Visit the website.