26 August 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.”

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

A rare Saint George seal was found during excavations near Suzdal

27 June 2023

27 June 2023

The archaeological survey of the Suzdal Opole, initiated by the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences more...

Archaeologists uncovered a kurgan tomb from a previously unknown culture

8 January 2023

8 January 2023

Archaeologists from the Siberian Federal University have unearthed a kurgan tomb and numerous bronze tools and artifacts from a previously...

“Ladies of Anavlochos”: Crete’s Puzzle in Pieces

9 May 2025

9 May 2025

Perched high on the rugged slopes of Mount Anavlochos, overlooking the azure expanse of the Mediterranean Sea, lie the silent...

Oldest known arrowheads uncovered in the Americas

24 December 2022

24 December 2022

Archaeologists from Oregon State University have discovered projectile points in Idaho that are thousands of years older than any that...

Palau’s green pyramids: could be a geo-archaeological project

19 February 2022

19 February 2022

Archaeologists from Kiel University’s Institute for Ecosystem Research (CAU) and the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) studied the so-called “Pyramids of...

Australia’s 1,400-year-old Mysterious Earth Rings: Evidence of Millennia of Human Effort, Not Natural Formation

21 January 2025

21 January 2025

A chain of mysterious earth rings in the Sunbury hills at the fringe of Melbourne, in Australia have been found...

The Oldest Known Neanderthal Engravings were Discovered in a French Cave

13 August 2023

13 August 2023

According to a recent study published, the oldest engravings made by Neanderthals have been discovered on a cave wall in...

Stone Penis Found in Medieval Spanish ruins Had Violent Purpose

11 June 2023

11 June 2023

Archaeologists found a six-inch stone penis while excavating the Tower of Meira (Torre de Meira) in the city of Ría...

The oldest ceramic roof tiles ever found in land of Israel may be from Antiochus’ Lost Citadel in Jerusalem

6 December 2023

6 December 2023

The 16 ceramic roof tile fragments, from the Hellenistic period in the second century BCE, were discovered during an archaeological...

Persian plateau unveiled as crucial hub for early human migration out of Africa, study suggests

29 March 2024

29 March 2024

60,000 to 70,000 years ago, our species Homo sapiens walked out of Africa and began to find new homes around...

Ancient Mosaics Unearthed in İznik Hint at Residence of Roman General

4 August 2025

4 August 2025

A recent archaeological breakthrough in the ancient city of İznik, formerly known as Nicaea, has unveiled richly decorated Roman mosaics...

Sensational Find: 900-year-old Picture Stone! Is Depicted Figure the Legendary Bishop Otto of Bamberg?

19 August 2024

19 August 2024

During construction work in Klotzow (Vorpommern-Greifswald district), one of the most spectacular archaeological finds in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in recent years has...

2000-year-old Genuine Pompeii marble relief installed in a wall lining the staircase leading down to the basement in a Belgium home

22 December 2023

22 December 2023

An important marble relief depicting the earthquake of 62 AD, stolen from the ruins of ancient Pompeii in Italy in...

Medieval Mummy Seized in Niğde, Türkiye, Amidst Smuggling Crackdown

12 March 2025

12 March 2025

Authorities in Türkiye have detained six individuals in the Bor district of Niğde, who were allegedly attempting to sell an...

Archaeologists discovered a 2,000-year-old rock-carved face at Spain’s Tossal de La Cala castle

20 May 2023

20 May 2023

Archaeologists have discovered a rock-carved face at Toscal De La Cala, a Roman fort in Benidorm, on the east coast...