Monday, 4 April 2016

Fragment of a massive Viking Age bracelet found in Porvoo S. Finland.

Today Mr Hannu Hannu Martikainen, one of the most trustworthy and talented metal detectorists researching the area of S. Finland stumbled upon, and immediately reported a very interesting iron age find, a fragment of a massive Viking Age metal bracelet. 

 Vikng Age bracelet fragmen´t from Porvoo, S. Finland.

The find surfaced in Porvoo S. Finland, in an area very, very far from the central Viking age dwelling site areas in S. and SW Finland. 

The find actually stopped me in my tracks. It s a showcase example of talented detectorist thinking outside the box. Searching not for the obvious, but for the new and surprising.

This is what the bracelet could have looked like AD 800-1000.

From what I can see from the first pictures the bracelet fragment has been subjected to fire (possibly on a funeral pyre), and broken intentionally. As such it is possible that the fragment constitute part of a late iron age (or early medieval period) grave loot possibly ment to be re-used.

Of course the fragment could also be part of an "in situ" Viking Age burial but at the moment we have no proof of this. The find has been reported to Porvoo Museum and is kept in appropriate conditions.

Congrats Hannu!

Best,

Jan Fast

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