Burntwood (UK), Sep 24(ANI): The largest ever hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold found near Burntwood in south Staffordshire in July has been officially declared a treasure.

According to reports, the haul of more than 1,500 items was found by metal detecting enthusiast Terry Herbert just below the surface of a farmer’s field at an undisclosed site.

The treasure is said to be bigger than what was found at Sutton Hoo and as important as finding a new Lindisfarne Gospels.

“This is a magnificent find, both in terms of its content and its likely history. It is at least as significant as any of the major discoveries of this period that have been made in the past,” The Telegraph quoted Roger Bland, head of portable antiquities and treasure at the British Museum, as saying.

“It is a fantastically important discovery. It is assumed that the items were buried by their owners at a time of danger with the intention of later coming back and recovering them,” he added.Bland further said that the hoard, which is believed to date back to between 675 and 725 AD, was unearthed from a place that was once the Kingdom of Mercia.

“I think wealth of this kind must have belonged to a king but we cannot say that for absolute certain,” Bland added.

Now, Herbert and the unidentified land owner are set to earn themselves a large reward for the trove which experts predict could redefine perceptions of Anglo-Saxon England. (ANI)