Metal detectorists have found a rare gold and garnet raven head in southwestern England’s Wiltshire from the Anglo-Saxon period about 1,400 years ago.
They have also unearthed a gold band or ring studded with tiny beads and triangular garnets.
The raven head, weighing about 60gm, consists of a striking garnet eye and tiny gold spheres outlining its "feather" portions.
The artefacts have been dated to the Anglo-Saxon era of 7th century AD, Paul Gould, one of the two detectorists who found them in January said.
It’s not clear what the raven head represented but previous research suggests it symbolised darkness and death during the Germanic and Viking ages, tied to the Norse god Odin.
“This is a find of a lifetime: Paul and I discover Saxon gold,” the other detectorist, Chris Phillips, said. "It’s unbelievable. I’m a bit emotional.
The rare objects are now being cleaned and processed by experts at the British Museum.
The right side of the raven head was found missing a garnet eye and dirt removed from inside it revealed small pins that might have attached to some other artefact.
The raven head could once have been attached to a drinking horn’s terminal, Mr Phillips said, citing experts, adding that there was “none quite like” it.
“The other side appears either to be damaged or is supposed to be like that,” he said. “The iridescence still shows through.”
The question of whether the other gold and garnet artefact is a separate piece of jewellery or part of a larger jewel remains unanswered as well.
“We are not sure if it was part of a finger ring or part of something else, maybe it was attached to the drinking horn,” Mr Phillips said, adding it had all its garnets intact.
It remains unclear exactly who made these artefacts, but experts say they fit with Anglo-Saxon or Scandinavian origins.
Similar bird-like jewellery pieces have previously been discovered in the Sutton Hoo and Staffordshire hoards with distinct garnet-inlaid eyes and beak shapes.
"We hope to be involved in any further investigation of the site, and we’ll continue to detect with all correct procedures in place," Mr Phillips said, according to LiveScience.
Organisers have reportedly halted further metal detector work at the site and notified the Wiltshire liaison officer.
