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A stunning brooch has been heralded as the one of the most 'outstanding' discoveries of 2024. (Image: Jens Büttner/dpa)
An elaborate 7th century silver, gold and garnet disc brooch discovered during a field inspection near Reez in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has been described as one of the most best discoveries of 2024.
Found on the Baltic coast, the brooch is crafted from gold-plated silver and decorated with inlaid red almandine garnets.
These semi-precious gemstones were highly extremely valuable during the Late Roman period and were arranged using the cloisonné technique - which uses thin wired of metal to create sections or decorative effects on the jewellery piece.
The garnets have been arranged to resemble geometric entwined snakes - with kite-shaped garnets forming their heads - surrounding the edge of the ovoid shape.
“The find is considered one of the most outstanding of the year,” said state archaeologist Detlef Jantzen.
The discovery was made during a field inspection near Reez in Germany. (Image: Getty)
Comparable examples have been found in burials across the Rhineland and Sweden. However, the existence of the Reez brooch in Germany during the Migration Period - a time marked by austerity - has left archaeologists baffled.
“The precious piece of jewelry found in MV raises questions. How did the piece get to the Mecklenburg Baltic coast? Was there a wealthy upper class in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern during the Migration Period, which is considered a time of hardship?”
Jewellery like this was incredibly expensive and was reserved for the Germanic elite during the Migration Period (300 to 600AD), when this brooch was produced. Only 11 other brooches of this style have been found in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
The period saw the migration, invasion and settlement of various tribes within or into the territories of the Roman Empire and Europe at large, eventually leading to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and the foundation of the post-Roman kingdoms.
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The red almandine garnets have been cut to a precise fit and polished to a brilliant shine. (Image: Getty)
“It is an incredibly valuable piece.”
According to Jantzen, the almandines are polished to a brilliant shine and cut to a precise fit. To increase their gleam, the goldsmith grooved the gold-plated base of the setting.
“They are found in particularly richly decorated noble graves,” Jantzen explained.
Other incredible discoveries last year have included the uncovering of a sixth century sword, found in an Anglo-Saxon cemetery in rural Kent. The sword, which features a silver-and-gilt hilt with intricate patterns, a blade inscribed with runes, and remnants of its leather-and-wood scabbard lined with beaver fur, is remarkably well-preserved.
English (US) · 