Exhibition Launch: Treasures and Treasure Hunting in Law and History

Johannes Dillinger, Professor of Early Modern History at Oxford Brookes, will explore the roles played by treasure in British and European society. How can you find treasure? If you do, is it really yours? What is a treasure hunt like? The exhibition looks at some answers to these questions over the last 2000 years.

In 2023 the world’s first international exhibition on the history of treasure hunting opened at the Medieval Crime and Justice Museum in Rothenburg, Germany. Professor Dillinger curated this exhibition which attracted almost half a million visitors. He has now transported some of the most interesting exhibits to Oxford Brookes University.

A number of magical texts from a private collection will be displayed alongside archaeological finds and historical documents dealing with treasure troves. Many of these are displayed for the first time outside Germany. From the end of the Middle Ages until the nineteenth century, treasure hunters used magic to locate treasure and to placate the spirits they believed watched over it...

You can also see exhibits from Brookes library, including a 16th-century print of the Corpus Iuris Civilis, the most influential compendium of Roman law. A treasure hunt is always an adventure, so the exhibition will showcase some valuable copies of stories about treasure from our collections.

We look forward to celebrating our exhibition launch with you! Refreshments will be provided.

The exhibition will be open to the public 12:30-16:30 Mon-Fri, from 26 October to 30 November 2026