The Vermand Treasure
The Vermand Treasure was discovered in the last quarter of the nineteenth century by Benoni Lelaurain. It was recovered from a cemetery near the modern village of Vermand, which is located beside the Celtic oppidum of Viromandui. In the 3rd century CE, Vermand served as a castra hiberna within the network of provincial Roman border defenses. It was also a thriving glass production center and home to a large number of refugees following the destruction of Augusta Viromanduorum in the late 3rd century by barabarian invaders. The treasure was found in one of the few military burials in the cemetery. However, grave robbers had previously plundered the burial, cracked the stone sarcophagus and scattered the contents. Perhaps they had been interrupted in their violation of the grave as six objects including this gilt silver spear shaft mount were left behind. Others, documented in the excavation report, remained as well but it is thought the excavator's workmen pilf...