The West Yorkshire Hoard is a precious-metal hoard of six gold objects, including four gold finger-rings, and a lead spindle whorl, which was discovered near Leeds, West Yorkshire, in 2008–2009 by a metal detectorist. The find was of national and international significance, expanding the understanding of hoards and hoarding in the north of England in early medieval England, as well as expanding the corpus of known gold rings from the period.

The hoard was discovered in a series of separate searches by Frank Andrusyk, a detectorist during 2008–09.^[1][2] After Andrusyk discovered the initial group of four rings and a fragment of a gold brooch, he informed the Portable Antiquities Scheme who then surveyed the field.^[2] Six months later in 2009, further down the slope, another gold ring and a lead spindle whorl were found.^[3][4]

The hoard contains four gold finger-rings, a fragment of gold cloisonné jewellery, a piece of gold ingot, along with a lead spindle whorl.^[4] The 2008 finds were found in three batches across two days and were a finger-ring set with a garnet, a finger-ring with an enlarged bezel, a finger-ring inlaid with niello, a partial gold ingot and a fragment of cloisonné.^[5] The 2009 finds were a gold finger-ring with a round bezel, filigree and granulated decoration, as well as a lead disc, most likely a spindle whorl.^[6]

Whilst archaeological investigation of the find-spot did not reveal a wider context for the site, it did show that the hole which the hoard had been placed in had been reopened and buried several times.^[4] The hoard contains material dating from the seventh to the tenth centuries, demonstrating that the items were preserved across several centuries.^[4] One interpretation is that the hoard belonged to a thief, who was adding and removing goods from the cache.^[4] Another interpretation is that it belonged to a smith or jeweller.^[8] The jewellery itself indicates wealth and high-status ownership potentially a member of an elite living in the Danelaw in the tenth or eleventh century.^[7]

In 2011 Leeds Museums & Galleries ran a successful funding campaign to raise £171,310 in order for the hoard to remain in the region, be owned by the public and to be displayed at Leeds City Museum.^[9] Funding for the purchase of the hoard came from grants from: National Heritage Memorial Fund;^[10] Wolfson Foundation via the Art Fund;^[11] Leeds Philosophical & Literary Society and the Friends of Leeds City Museums who ran a crowd-funding campaign.^[12] Acquisition of the hoard for the city was confirmed in 2012.^[13]

The hoard was displayed at Leeds City Museum after further funding was secured from the Headley Trust, via Art Fund's Treasure Plus scheme.^[13] The display consisted of bespoke mounts, as well as 3D models of the hoard which visitors can digitally explore.^[14]

In 2019, artist Lorna Johnson exhibited a new body of work, entitled Deconstructing The West Yorkshire Hoard, at the International Medieval Congress in Leeds.^[15]

The hoard also featured in the television series Britain's Secret Treasures and in the resultant publication.^[2]