ONE of the finest pieces of late Roman tableware is to return home to Suffolk for the first time in 70 years.

The Great Dish is the most famous object from the Mildenhall treasure which was discovered near the town in 1942.

Because of its international importance, the collection of late-Roman silver tableware has been housed at the British Museum in London.

However, the museum is now planning to return the fourth century dish to Suffolk as part of its Spotlights Tour.

A British Museum spokesman said: “The Mildenhall Great Dish will be returning to Suffolk for the first time since its discovery in 1942. “The magnificant 4th century silver dish will go on public display at Ipswich Museum early next year.

“The ‘Great Dish’, also known as the ‘Neptune’ or ‘Oceanus Dish’ features Bacchic imagery which had a long history in Greek and Roman art, and this example is one of the finest to survive from the late-Roman period.

“This loan is a part of the British Museum’s continuing work to support Ipswich in their plans to redevelop the main museum.”