A new discovery is shedding light on the Isle of Man’s rich Viking heritage. A rare piece of Viking gold jewellery, unearthed earlier this year, has officially been declared treasure by the Isle of Man’s Deputy Coroner of Inquests.
The find—a fragment of a gold arm-ring crafted more than a thousand years ago—was discovered by metal detectorist Ronald Clucas in spring 2025. Experts estimate the object dates from around AD 1000–1100.
Created using a complex plaiting technique involving eight twisted gold rods, the arm-ring would originally have measured 7.7 cm in length. Today, only a folded fragment of 3.7 cm survives, though it still weighs a hefty 27.26 grams. According to specialists, the craftsmanship suggests it was made by a highly skilled goldsmith.
“It was quite a big shock to discover this lovely piece of gold, I couldn’t really believe it at first!” says Ronald Clucas, a member of the Manx Detectorist Society. “Gold generally gives a very low signal on the detector, so you can’t really predict what is going to be uncovered. I’ve been detecting for many years now and found some wonderful things, but to find a piece of gold from the Viking Age, that’s really something else.”
This is not Clucas’s first encounter with Viking treasure—he previously found a silver ingot and a lead ingot on the island in 2005. His latest discovery fittingly marks his 50th anniversary as a detectorist.
Jewellery like this served multiple purposes in the Viking Age, explained Allison Fox, Curator for Archaeology at Manx National Heritage:
Jewellery items such as this had several functions in the Viking Age both as prized personal possessions and visible displays of wealth. They were easily portable and were also used to cover costs in financial transactions.
She noted that the arm-ring had been cut in two places, suggesting it had once been used for payments. “This arm-ring has been cut twice, indicating it has possibly been used for at least two separate transactions,” Fox continued. “One cut removed the terminal end of the arm-ring, the other one cut the original complete arm-ring almost in half. For reasons we will never know, this fragment of gold arm-ring was buried in the ground until discovered. It may have been hidden for safe-keeping, could just have been lost or may even have been buried as an offering to the Viking Gods.”
Photo courtesy Manx National Heritage
During the Viking Age, the Isle of Man operated a dual economy where both coins and bullion—silver and gold—were used to buy goods and services. Viking gold remains significantly rarer than silver, making this discovery particularly valuable for understanding the island’s medieval past.
Manx National Heritage has expressed thanks to both the finder and the landowner, as well as to Dr Kristin Bornholdt Collins and Professor James Graham-Campbell, who offered their insights into this and other Viking treasures found on the Isle of Man.
A new discovery is shedding light on the Isle of Man’s rich Viking heritage. A rare piece of Viking gold jewellery, unearthed earlier this year, has officially been declared treasure by the Isle of Man’s Deputy Coroner of Inquests.
The find—a fragment of a gold arm-ring crafted more than a thousand years ago—was discovered by metal detectorist Ronald Clucas in spring 2025. Experts estimate the object dates from around AD 1000–1100.
Created using a complex plaiting technique involving eight twisted gold rods, the arm-ring would originally have measured 7.7 cm in length. Today, only a folded fragment of 3.7 cm survives, though it still weighs a hefty 27.26 grams. According to specialists, the craftsmanship suggests it was made by a highly skilled goldsmith.
“It was quite a big shock to discover this lovely piece of gold, I couldn’t really believe it at first!” says Ronald Clucas, a member of the Manx Detectorist Society. “Gold generally gives a very low signal on the detector, so you can’t really predict what is going to be uncovered. I’ve been detecting for many years now and found some wonderful things, but to find a piece of gold from the Viking Age, that’s really something else.”
This is not Clucas’s first encounter with Viking treasure—he previously found a silver ingot and a lead ingot on the island in 2005. His latest discovery fittingly marks his 50th anniversary as a detectorist.
Jewellery like this served multiple purposes in the Viking Age, explained Allison Fox, Curator for Archaeology at Manx National Heritage:
Jewellery items such as this had several functions in the Viking Age both as prized personal possessions and visible displays of wealth. They were easily portable and were also used to cover costs in financial transactions.
She noted that the arm-ring had been cut in two places, suggesting it had once been used for payments. “This arm-ring has been cut twice, indicating it has possibly been used for at least two separate transactions,” Fox continued. “One cut removed the terminal end of the arm-ring, the other one cut the original complete arm-ring almost in half. For reasons we will never know, this fragment of gold arm-ring was buried in the ground until discovered. It may have been hidden for safe-keeping, could just have been lost or may even have been buried as an offering to the Viking Gods.”
During the Viking Age, the Isle of Man operated a dual economy where both coins and bullion—silver and gold—were used to buy goods and services. Viking gold remains significantly rarer than silver, making this discovery particularly valuable for understanding the island’s medieval past.
Manx National Heritage has expressed thanks to both the finder and the landowner, as well as to Dr Kristin Bornholdt Collins and Professor James Graham-Campbell, who offered their insights into this and other Viking treasures found on the Isle of Man.
The newly discovered gold arm-ring is now on display in the Viking Gallery at the Manx Museum in Douglas. Click here to learn more about the museum.
Subscribe to Medievalverse
Related Posts