

The Berthouville Silver Treasure, a buried hoard of over 90 silver artifacts of Roman/Gaul antiquity, was discovered in 1830 by a farmer, Prosper Taurin, while plowing his fields near the village of Berthouville in Normandy, France. This spectacular find was acquired by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) in Paris. The closure and renovation of the BnF provided an opportunity for a collaborative project with the Getty Museum in Malibu, California, and allowed ample time for conservators, curators, and scientists to conduct research and treat the collection. Almost 185 years after their discovery, these objects revealed intriguing new information on ancient Roman silver artifacts. In this presentation, former Getty Associate Conservator of Antiquities, Susan Lansing Maish, will discuss and illustrate her personal involvement with this unique project.