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From dragon-themed stirrups to Viking Era brooches and an extravagant wheel-lock pistol... Finds by Jersey's metal detecting community are helping to share how we understand the island's history.
The collection of detected objects, which are now on display at the Jersey Museum, includes finds dating from between the 8th century and the 11th century, as well as a refurbished relic from the English Civil War.
The finds include an 11th century Anglo-Scandinavian stirrup mount engraved with late Viking art depicting a pair of interlocking dragons, a series of 11th century brooches originating from across Northern Europe and likely traded at the end of the Viking Era, and an 8th to 9th century Frankish strap fitting with enamel decoration.
Perry Mesney, who as Jersey Heritage's Finds Liaison Officer has been responsible for collecting and recording these treasures, said: "This was a period of Jersey's history we didn't have many finds for... only a couple of things and a few documents. It was a bit of a dark period."
Pictured: An early Medieval stirrup mount featuring late Viking art depicting a pair of interlocking dragons.
Of the new finds, he said: "it really changes the way we thought about Jersey's history... We have so much more information about Jersey during this period... It's really shot us forward."
The 11th century was a hugely turbulent time in British history, with Britain coming under the rule Danish Kings like Cnut as part of the North Sea Empire, and eventually falling prey to the Norman Conquest. As Perry said: "It's all kicking off."
He added: "Jersey was a lot more connected at the time than we thought. There was an assumption that Jersey was a backwater, with nothing really happening... I'm not saying we were the centre of the world, but we had some kind of involvement, there were people here."
Pictures: The new display at the Jersey Museum, featuring the restored 17th century wheel lock pistol.
One of the other spectacular finds on display is a 17th century wheel-lock pistol, an extravagant item that would have been carried by an officer or wealthy person around the time of the English Civil War.
It was found by detectorists in 2017 around St. Aubin's Fort, and the suspicions are that it may have been dropped during a battle, or lost when the owner was climbing into a boat.
When it was discovered it was completely covered in concretion - more than two inches thick in some places - and required more than 300 hours of attention by the Museum's conservators to get it to the condition it is in now.
Perry said: "It was great for someone to report it as if it didn't get immediate attention the iron would have just turned to dust."
Perry was extremely thankful to all the people who reported their finds to him.
"Without them we wouldn't have any of this stuff, without them it would be lost forever," he said.
If you find what you believe to be an archaeological object anywhere on the island, please contact the Finds Liaison Officer Perry Mesney at: perry.mesney@jerseyheritage.org.
Dug up something special? Here's who to call…
FOCUS: Charting the island's history through objects
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