Fri, 17 Dec 2021
Two Viking Brooches discovered on the Isle of Man have gone on display.
They were found in December 2018 by metal detectorists John Crowe and Craig Evans.
The highly decorated oval brooches date to around AD 900 – 950 and are made from bronze with silver wire decoration.
The brooches were discovered alongside a glass bead and buckle, with the finds requiring specialist examination and conservation undertaken by Manx National Heritage and conservation specialists at York Archaeological Trust (YAT). The process of conserving them started with x-rays to reveal details not visible to the naked eye. They were then cleaned, removing corrosion and soil, before coating with micro-crystalline wax to protect them.
Commenting on the discovery, finder, Craig Evans said: “John and I knew straight away that our discovery was very special, and it’s great to see the brooches cleaned and conserved”.
The two newly conserved brooches are now on display in the Viking Gallery at the Manx Museum, Douglas, alongside many other spectacular artefacts from the Viking Age on the Isle of Man.