A 55-year-old man has unearthed the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found, archaeologists said today.
The staggering discovery, made using a metal detector, on private farmland in Staffordshire, will redefine perceptions of Anglo-Saxon England, experts predict.
Terry Herbert came across the hoard as he searched a field near his home in Burntwood with his metal detector. Experts said the collection of more than 1,500 pieces - which will be officially classified by a coroner as treasure today - is unparalleled in size and may have belonged to Saxon royalty.
The hoard, believed to date back to the Seventh Century, contains around 5kg of Gold and 2.5kg of silver, far bigger than previous finds - including the Sutton Hoo burial site.
It may take more than a year to value the collection and, given its scale, the financial worth of the hoard cannot be estimated.
Leslie Webster, former keeper at the British Museum's Department of Prehistory and Europe, said: "This is going to alter our perceptions of Anglo-Saxon England as radically, if not more so, as the Sutton Hoo discoveries."
Many of the items in the hoard are warfare paraphernalia, including sword pommel caps and hilt plates, often inlaid with precious stones.
The exact location of the discovery has not been disclosed but it is understood to be near the Lichfield border in South Staffordshire.
Mr Herbert, who has been metal detecting for 18 years, came across the buried hoard after asking a farmer friend if he could search on his land.
Dr Kevin Leahy, National Finds Adviser from the Portable Antiquities Scheme and an expert in early medieval metalwork and Saxon craftsmanship, catalogued the hoard.
He said: "The quantity of gold is amazing. ts origins are clearly the very highest-levels of Saxon aristocracy or royalty. It belonged to the elite. This is a hugely hugely important find."
The hoard is currently being held in secure storage at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery but a selection of items are to be displayed at the museum from tomorrow until October 13.