Jewellery, Watches, Antiquities and Objects of Vertu

An Anglo-Saxon gilt bronze disc mount or pin head, 8th century, the centre pierced with a circular incised border, around this eleven Runic letters arranged in alphabetic sequence starting with the Futhorc symbol 15 and ending with symbol 25, edged by a border of incised pellets, the reverse showing the remains of tin which may have attached the disc to the pin or a back plate, diameter 2.8cm, depth 1mm. £800-£1,000

The Runic alphabet is known as the Futhorc in Britain and as the Futhark in Scandinavia, from the translation of its first six symbols; the complete alphabet is comprised of twenty four symbols. Around 100 inscriptions have been recorded from Britain, mostly translated as names, but Runes were also intended as secret charms or curses. The Malton pin in the British Museum is of similar style and date also with Runic letters around its circumference. Pins of this type were often worn as three together, so it is possible the other two would have contained the remaining missing letters of the Runic alphabet.

This example was found by a metal detector in West Lindsey in the parish of Bardney in Lincolnshire in 2017 and has been recorded by the PAS as DUR-79B856.