Rare Viking brooch discovered in England linked to famous hoard

A rare Viking Age brooch found in Essex, England, has been linked to the Cuerdale Hoard, one of the most significant Viking hoards ever found.

The silver brooch also indicates the Vikings were active in the county of Essex well before the Battle of Maldon, which took place in 991 CE. 

A unique piece 

The silver brooch, which has been dated to the 9th century, was found by a metal detectorist near the Essex village of Kelvedon in October 2023.

The brooch was immediately submitted by the anonymous finder to the Portable Antiquities Scheme, which is responsible for recording small archeological finds in England and Wales.

The local coroner has now declared the brooch to be an official treasure of the United Kingdom.

Speaking to the BBC, Essex finds liaison officer Lori Rogerson stated that the brooch was "the only substantial silver example of this brooch type known from England."

Rogerson noted that comparable silver pieces have only been found in Denmark and the Netherlands. She also added, however, that a brooch made from lead unearthed during the Coppergate excavations in York has a similar design. 

The brooch is bent in half and broken at one end, making it incomplete. Photo: Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service (CC BY 2.0)

Possible link to the Cuerdale Hoard 

Although the brooch is not complete, the surviving fragment is impressively well-preserved.

The design, which features raised bumps and intricate interwoven grooves, indicates the piece of jewelry was probably produced in France during the reigns of the Carolingian and Merovingian dynasties.

Rogerson also pointed out that the design bears notable similarities to some of the artifacts found in the Cuerdale Hoard.

"I looked through all my resources, I circulated it through all the curators, but none could claim it for their period of history," she commented to the BBC.

"Then I looked at the Cuerdale Hoard, spotted fragments that reminded me of it, and thought, 'Hang on a moment—it's one of those brooches.' That made it even more exciting."

The Cuerdale Hoard, which was found close to the city of Preston in Lancashire, England, in 1840, is one of the greatest silver Viking hoards ever found.

Although Cuerdale was found much further north than the Kelvedon brooch, it is entirely possible that both treasures were carried by one of the bands of Vikings that invaded and marauded through England in the 9th century, including the Great Heathen Army. 

• READ MORE: A brief look at the Viking history of England

According to Lori Rogerson, the brooch shares key features with items from the Cuerdale Hoard. Photo: Ethan Doyle White (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Traces of the Viking presence 

There are several known Viking connections to the county of Essex. Most notably, the Battle of Maldon took place by the River Blackwater in August 991 CE, as Viking forces clashed with an Anglo-Saxon army led by Earl Byrhtnoth.

After the Anglo-Saxons suffered a painful defeat, the English king Æthelred the Unready was forced to pay off the Vikings with gold in order to prevent them from launching further attacks.

As Rogerson explained to the BBC, however, there have been very few archeological traces of the Vikings identified in the local area.

"Previously, we had had only slight suggestions of Viking activity here from a piece of possible hackgold, made from an object with Anglo-Saxon runes, and some Danish coins found in the late 19th century," Rogerson commented.

The discovery of the brooch in Kelvedon, which lies just nine miles from Maldon, is a clear sign of the Viking presence. At the same time, its dating to the 9th century—not the 10th—suggests that Viking incursions into this area of England began earlier than previously thought. 

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