26 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Viking Gold Treasure Unearthed on Isle of Man by Veteran Metal Detectorist

A remarkable piece of Viking gold has been unearthed on the Isle of Man, shedding new light on the island’s Norse heritage. The discovery—a finely crafted fragment of a Viking arm-ring—was officially declared treasure this week by the Isle of Man’s Deputy Coroner of Inquests and is now on public display at the Manx Museum in Douglas.

The treasure was found by seasoned metal detectorist Ronald Clucas, a long-standing member of the Manx Detectorist Society, during a routine outing in spring 2025. In a poetic twist of fate, the find comes during Clucas’ 50th anniversary year in the hobby, marking his “golden jubilee” with a literal piece of gold from the Viking Age.

Dating back to approximately AD 1000–1100, the gold arm-ring fragment weighs an impressive 27.26 grams and measures 3.7 cm in length—about half its original size. Expertly crafted by plaiting eight strands of gold rods, the intricate technique used to create it indicates the work of a master Viking goldsmith.

“This was quite a shock,” said Clucas. “Gold signals are usually faint on detectors, so I didn’t expect to uncover something this significant. After all these years, to find a Viking artifact made of gold—it’s absolutely incredible.”

According to Allison Fox, Curator of Archaeology at Manx National Heritage, Viking-age jewelry served multiple purposes. “Such items were not only personal adornments but also clear symbols of wealth and were often used in financial transactions,” she said. “This piece was likely used more than once in trade, as it has been cut in two places—one removing the terminal end, and the other slicing the ring nearly in half.”



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



During the Viking Age, the Isle of Man operated under a dual economy where both coinage and bullion, such as silver and gold, were used to conduct business. While silver finds from this period are relatively common, gold artifacts are extremely rare. This makes the discovery of the arm-ring especially valuable for researchers and historians.

The reasons for the arm-ring’s burial remain unknown. It may have been hidden for safekeeping, lost, or possibly offered to Norse gods as part of a ritual practice.

This is not Clucas’ first significant find. He previously discovered both silver and lead ingots on the island in 2005, but this latest find is by far the most exceptional.

The Viking gold arm-ring fragment is now on view in the Viking Gallery at the Manx Museum. Admission is free, with donations welcomed. Manx National Heritage extends its gratitude to Mr. Clucas, the landowner, and academic experts Dr. Kristin Bornholdt Collins and Professor James Graham-Campbell for their contributions to this important discovery.

Manx National Heritage

Cover Image Credit: Manx National Heritage

Related Articles

The oldest Celtic Dice ever discovered in Poland

24 September 2023

24 September 2023

A dice, probably dating from the 3rd and early 2nd centuries BC, was discovered at the Celtic settlement of Samborowice...

New evidence for early regional exchanges in Eurasia: Ice skates made of animal bones over 3,000 years old

9 March 2023

9 March 2023

Chinese archaeologists have discovered ancient ice skates made of animal bones at the Gaotai Ruins in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous...

Ancient Egyptian cult drank a trippy mix of drugs, human blood, and bodily fluids

7 June 2023

7 June 2023

Researchers have identified some of the components of found in an ancient Bes vase dating back to Ptolemaic era Egypt....

2nd-Century Statue Head Discovered at Fethiye Castle

22 August 2024

22 August 2024

Türkiye’s coastal town of Fethiye, which is famous for its natural beauties and historical sites, found an 1800-year-old statue head...

Ancient eggshell in the Northern Cape hiding 300,000 years of history

12 July 2021

12 July 2021

Evidence from an ancient eggshell has revealed important new information about the extreme climate change faced by human early ancestors....

1650-Year-Old Earthen Grills Unearthed in Assos Excavations

14 August 2021

14 August 2021

Excavations continue in Assos Ancient City, a rich settlement of the period, which is located within the borders of Behramkale...

3,500-Year-Old Tomb of King Thutmose II Discovered: The First Royal Burial Unearthed Since King Tutankhamun

19 February 2025

19 February 2025

Egyptian officials have announced a groundbreaking discovery: the long-lost tomb of King Thutmose II, marking the last of the royal...

Bone tools for bleeding cows discovered in a 7,000-year-old cemetery in Sudan

24 March 2023

24 March 2023

During excavations in the Letti basin in northern Sudan, archaeologists have unearthed 7,000-year-old bone tools used to bleed cows. Explorers...

1-meter tall bronze statue found in China’s Sanxingdui Ruins-Video

17 June 2022

17 June 2022

Chinese archaeologists have discovered a 1-meter tall bronze statue at the site of ancient Sanxingdui ruins site in southwest China’s...

Archaeologists Discovered Submerged Stoa Complex in Ancient Salamis, Greece

27 October 2023

27 October 2023

Archaeologists exploring the east coast of Salamis, the largest Greek island in the Saronic Gulf, discovered a large, long, and...

HS2 archaeologists discover Romanization of Iron Age village in Britain

12 January 2022

12 January 2022

Archaeologists have uncovered a vast Roman trading town on Britain’s HS2 high-speed rail route. Evidence found during a dig of...

Uncovering the ritual past of ancient mustatils: Cult, herding, and ‘pilgrimage’ in the Late Neolithic of north-west Arabia

16 March 2023

16 March 2023

Mustatils—stone monuments from the Late Neolithic period thought to have been used for ritual purposes—have been the subject of new...

Prehistoric Masterpiece Discovered in Northern Sweden: White Quartzite Arrowhead

12 July 2025

12 July 2025

A bifacially crafted arrowhead made of white quartzite has become the most remarkable discovery at an archaeological excavation in northern...

The Error That Caused II.Ramses to Lose the Battle of Kadesh

5 February 2021

5 February 2021

The Battle of Kadesh between the Hittites and Egyptians in Anatolia, the two superpowers of the Bronze Age period, has...

Japan-Persia Ancient Ties

20 June 2021

20 June 2021

Japanese and Persian ancient ties go back to the 7th century. Silk Road connected Japan with countries and regions far...