Archaeologists have discovered a hoard of coins that may have been hidden by a victim of the Massacre of Glencoe in 1692. The massacre saw almost 40 members of Clan MacDonald of Glencoe killed under orders from the British government. The coins were found by a student, Lucy Ankers, during her first archaeological dig. They were discovered in a pot under a hearthstone slab in the ruins of Alasdair Ruadh “MacIain” MacDonald of Glencoe’s house, which was linked to the clan’s chief.
The MacDonalds were targeted due to their support for the exiled King James VII of Scotland and II of England and their backing of the restoration of the Stuart dynasty. The clan had participated in the first Jacobite Rising of 1689. In January 1692, the soldiers from the Earl of Argyll’s Regiment of Foot arrived in Glencoe and were accommodated by members of the clan before killing their hosts. Some victims tried to escape in a snowstorm to nearby glens, including the one where the coin hoard was found.
The archaeologists have suggested that the coins were most likely deposited under the fireplace either just before or during the killings for safekeeping. None of the coins were minted after the 1680s, and whoever buried them did not return to collect them, indicating they could have been amongst the massacre’s victims. A small round pebble had been used as a lid for the pot, which contained 36 coins.
Dr Michael Given, a co-director of the Glencoe archaeological project, has called the discovery a rare glimpse into a single, dramatic event. The hoard of coins, exotic pottery imported from the Netherlands and Germany, and grand fireplace and floor slabs paint a more impressive picture of what seems like an ordinary rural house in Glencoe. It is a privilege for archaeologists to hold objects that were once part of people’s lives in the past and study them.
The discovery emphasizes the importance of carrying out archaeological digs that could help in understanding past events and rescuing historical artifacts that could help maintain the cultural heritage of a region. It may also provide a glimpse into the lives of past societies and the impact of war on ordinary people in the region
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