The Ryedale Hoard contains some of Yorkshire’s most significant Roman objects including an 1,800 year old bust of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. For the very first time in Yorkshire, visitors will be able see this exciting new discovery and explore the mystery of who buried the Hoard and why.

The 13cm bust is part of a collection of bronze objects found by metal detectorists James Spark and Mark Didlick in a field near Ampleforth in Ryedale, North Yorkshire, in May 2020.

The purchase of the Ryedale Roman Hoard was made possible largely thanks to the generosity of American donor Richard Beleson, with additional funding through Art Fund and a number of individual donors. This enabled York Museums Trust to make the purchase from David Aaron, who originally acquired the hoard at auction.