Binham II bracteate

Anglo-Saxon

Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery

late 5th-early 6th Century

Bracteates are an extremely rare and early form of Scandinavian jewellery, used by the Germanic peoples migrating to England in the fifth and sixth centuries. Derived ultimately from Roman gold coins reused as pendants, their use in the Scandinavian world saw them given new designs often imbued with ritual significance. This bracteate is one of only four complete examples found in Norfolk, all discovered within a six-mile radius. This implies that an important, and unusually early, Anglo-Saxon 'gateway community' was sited on the north Norfolk coast, presumably able to control access to resources through maritime trade.

• Medium: gold
• Dimensions: diameter: 70mm
• Art Fund Grant: £2000 ( Total: £6,250)
• ArtFunded in: 2011
• Vendor: Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Provenance

The object was discovered by a metal-detectorist in 2009 and reported to the Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service; declared Treasure 2009.

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