MUSEUM visitors will get a behind-the-scenes look at how a collection of more than 100 copper objects dating back to the Bronze Age found in Wardour, Tisbury, will be prepared and preserved ready for display.

Copper spear heads, chisels and pieces of sword dating back from 2,000BC to 800BC, the Bronze Age and early Iron Age, will be on display from January 7-18 at Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.

Wiltshire Council’s conservation service and the museum will be showing the work being done to clean up the Wardour Hoard, discovered in 2011.

The museum received grants from the Pilgrim Trust to help pay for the conservation and help set up a temporary conservation unit, which will be open to the public as part of the Watch This Space exhibition.

The council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for heritage Stuart Wheeler said: “This is an amazing find and illustrates just how important Wiltshire is in terms of archaeology.

“The objects and the preservation process is fascinating. People will be able to see how objects are cleaned to remove burial soil with a variety of tools to help reveal the original surface.”

Adrian Green, director of the museum, said: “The chance to see the conservation of this find at first hand is an opportunity not to be missed. The Wardour Hoard is one of the most important Bronze Age/early Iron Age hoards found in the country. This is because of the timespan it covers – there are objects that were more than 1,000 years old when they were buried.”

During the exhibition the public will have the chance to interact with the conservators, learn about what they do and discover the importance of conserving objects of great significance.

Further work will be carried out in the main conservation laboratory at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, Chippenham to help stabilise the objects and preserve them for many more years to come.

Once conservation work on the hoard is completed, the objects will be displayed in the newly renovated Wessex Gallery at Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum, which is due to open in late spring.