4000 pieces of Staffordshire Hoard put together

The Staffordshire Hoard was discovered in a field near the village of Hammerwich, near Lichfield, in Staffordshire, on 5th July 2009.

The Hoard is the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalwork ever found, consisting of more than 4000 items.

It includes:

5,094 kilos of gold

1,442 of silver 3,500 cloisonné garnets.

The artefacts have been dated to the 6th or 7th centuries, placing the origin of the items in the time of the Kingdom of Mercia.

At least one helmet, composed of over 1,500 pieces, is contained in the treasure

For more information visit the Staffordshire Hoard website.

The Staffordshire Hoard from the sixth and seventh centuries was first discovered buried in a field at Hammerwich in Staffordshire five years ago.

David Symons from Birmingham Museums told ITV News Central that what they know is that it was for some reason broken up before burial.

There's at least one helmet a sword and weapon fittings used by the warrior elite among the 4000 pieces.

The whole of the Staffordshire Hoard has been gathered together in one place for the first time since it was discovered in 2009.

All three-thousand-five-hundred items are being assembled so they can be studied in their entirety by researchers.

Researchers say it is unlikely that the objects, from the 6th and 7th centuries, will be assembled in the same place again for quite some time. Together they are worth in the region of £3.2million.