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Pottery, metalwork, animal bones, clay pipe fragments and bases of wine bottles dating back to the 1600s. The past came to life for some young people from Swansea on 17 September 2016 as they searched for ‘treasure’ on Swansea Bay in a ‘Big Beachcomb’.

The event was the first in a series of activities organized by Swansea Museum as part of their new project ‘The Lost Treasures of Swansea Bay’. The project is inspired by new additions to the museum’s archaeology collections which have been found by local metal detectorists on the bay, and include Bronze Age tools and medieval pilgrim badges which will go on display next year.

Led by Paul Huckfield of the Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust, the Beachcomb was attended by over 40 members of the local Young Archaeologists Club, the Dylan Thomas Centre’s Young Writers Squad, as well as parents, metal detectorists and museum staff.

In between marvelling at the remains of prehistoric trees and centuries old shipwrecks, the beachcombers managed to collect an impressive assembly of finds.The objects are being taken back to the museum and will be washed and recorded by the Young Archaeologists Club, which meets at the museum once a month.

Rhianydd Biebrach, Project Officer for the Saving Treasures, Telling Stories project at Amgueddfa Cymru said:

“It’s fantastic that the people of Swansea have this opportunity to come and see the heritage literally lying at their feet on Swansea Bay. Seeing all the different items thrown away or lost by Swansea people over the centuries really brings home how much human activity this place has seen and how people before us have lived their lives here. I’m really looking forward to seeing Swansea Museum and the Lost Treasures project bring this to life over the next few months.”

The Lost Treasures of Swansea Bay project continues until summer 2017. It is funded by the Saving Treasures, Telling Stories project, a partnership between Amgueddfa Cymru, the Federation of Museums and Art Galleries of Wales and the Portable Antiquities Scheme in Wales, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

To find out more about the Young Archaeologists Club or the Swansea Young Writers Squad visit http://www.yac-uk.org/clubs/glamorgan, and http://www.dylanthomas.com/learning-and-outreach/swansea-young-writers-squad/ http://www.dylanthomas.com/cy/allgymorth-a-dysgu/sgwad-sgwennu-pobl-ifanc-abertawe/

Museums across Wales are this week celebrating and promoting Wales’s outstanding cultural offer at the second Welsh Museums Festival from 22 to 30 October. Over 100 events and exhibitions will be on offer for the whole family from sleepovers, talks, walks, hunts and handling sessions to archaeologist digs, re-enactments, dressing up, tea parties and Halloween themed activities.

Find out what events and exhibitions are taking place by visiting www.museums.wales.