Metal detectorist unearths Sutton Hoo-era Norfolk sword pyramid mount

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A metal detectorist has discovered a gold and garnet Sutton Hoo-era Norfolk sword pyramid, believed to have been lost by a great lord or Anglo-Saxon king.


The artefact, which dates back to sometime between the late 6th and early 7th century, was discovered in the Breckland area of Norfolk in April.

Its base measures just 11.9mm by 12.1mm, it is 6.0mm high and weighs 3.0g.

The object features fine foil understood to have been created using a technique similar to that achieved with a pantograph to reduce the size of the design.

Pyramid mounts are relatively uncommon as grave finds, but are increasingly common as stray finds, perhaps as a result of being accidentally lost by their owners.

Finds liaison officer Helen Geake has shed some light on the type of individual who would have possessed the mount.

Geake told the BBC: "It would have been owned by somebody in the entourage of a great lord or Anglo-Saxon king, and he would have been a lord or king who might have found his way into the history books.

"They or their lord had access to gold and garnets and to high craftsmanship."

Pyramidal mounts, which are created in pairs, are well known items in Anglo-Saxon and continental archaeological contexts.

While their exact purpose is uncertain, archaeologists believe they may have helped to secure swords in their scabbards.

"It's believed they made it a bit more of an effort to get the sword out of the scabbard, possibly acting as a check on an angry reaction," Geake said.

Metal detectorist, Jamie Harcourt, found the item on one of his first outings post lockdown.

He told Treasure Hunting magazine he was stunned to see such history in his hand and described it as the "find of a lifetime".

"It is very similar to those examples recovered during the world famous 1939 excavation at Sutton-Hoo. The garnet workmanship is also reminiscent of several items in the Staffordshire Hoard matrix," he said.

The Dig, a Netflix film about Anglo-Saxon burial ground Sutton Hoo, has renewed interest in the historical dig, staff at the National Trust run site have said.