Greater Manchester and Merseyside are built-up, urban areas, where the
archaeology is often hidden under modern buildings and developments.
There are also rural pockets of land and open spaces where coins and
objects that were lost in the past are brought back to the surface by
the plough. These finds are often rediscovered by metal detectorists,
field walkers, or simply by chance. The objects then make their way to
the Portable Antiquities Scheme, where they are recorded and plotted in
order to help us understand more about our past. The Roman fort at
Manchester, the ancient trading port of Meols in Wirral, and the more
recent industrial past all play a part in our shared heritage. Objects
lost by those who lived and worked in the region add to our knowledge of
this rich and diverse landscape. Neolithic polished stone axes, Early
Medieval inscribed stones, coins and jewellery reveal how local people
lived and worked. Metalwork from the Bronze Age to the Post-Medieval
period unravels the secrets of areas from the economy, technology and
trade to fashion. 50 Finds from Manchester and Merseyside allows us to
dip into our fascinating history using the objects lost by our ancestors
as our guide.