The Aurelius Ursicinus spoons from the Hoxne hoard

Roman Britain, buried in the 5th century AD
Found at Hoxne, Suffolk (1992)

The Hoxne (pronounced 'Hoxon') hoard is the richest find of treasure from Roman Britain. Alongside the approximately 15,000 coins were many other precious objects, buried for safety at a time when Britain was passing out of Roman control. They include by far the largest collection of spoons in any late Roman hoard.

This set of spoons comprises five of each principal type. It may not be complete. The inscriptions within the bowls of the cigni and on the handles of the cochlearia are neatly engraved and enhanced with an inlay of niello. They are marks of ownership, and give the name Aurelius Ursicinus. Although the ten inscriptions are the largest number with one name in the hoard, we cannot assume that this individual owned the whole treasure, as several other names also occur. Unfortunately, Aurelius Ursicinus cannot be identified with any historically recorded person.

C.M. Johns and R. Bland, 'The Hoxne late Roman treasure', Britannia, 25 (1994), pp. 165-73

R. Bland and C.M. Johns, The Hoxne Treasure, an illustr (London, The British Museum Press, 1993)