Treasure hunter strikes gold with 1,000-year-old discovery linked to 'Hand of God'
A treasure hunter in Hampshire, England, has discovered a 1,000-year-old gold pendant that experts believe depicts the Christian Hand of God symbol. Nick Berry, a 58-year-old metal detectorist with over 30 years of experience, found the inch-long artifact while searching farmland in Ashmansworth. The discovery site is located near Highclere Castle, which serves as the filming location for the television series Downton Abbey. Experts at the British Museum have classified the find as treasure. The rare object resembles iconography used on late Saxon and Viking-era coins.
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- ✓ Nick Berry discovered a 1,000-year-old gold pendant in Hampshire, England.
- ✓ Experts believe the pendant depicts the Hand of God symbol.
- ✓ The artifact was found near Highclere Castle, which is the filming location for Downton Abbey.
- ✓ The British Museum classifies the find as treasure.
What changed
The British Museum classified the newly unearthed gold artifact as treasure.
Live updates
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Metal Detectorist Discovers 1,000-Year-Old Gold Pendant
A treasure hunter in Hampshire, England, has discovered a 1,000-year-old gold pendant that experts believe depicts the Christian Hand of God symbol. Nick Berry, a 58-year-old metal detectorist with over 30 years of experience, found the inch-long artifact while searching farmland in Ashmansworth. The discovery site is located near Highclere Castle, which serves as the filming location for the television series Downton Abbey. Experts at the British Museum have classified the find as treasure. The rare object resembles iconography used on late Saxon and Viking-era coins.
Why it matters
The Hand of God is an ancient Christian motif historically identified on late Saxon and Viking-era currency. Discoveries of Anglo-Saxon gold artifacts of this specific age and iconography remain exceptionally rare in British archaeology. The involvement of the British Museum indicates the item will undergo formal institutional review.
What is confirmed
- Nick Berry discovered a 1,000-year-old gold pendant in Hampshire, England.
- Experts believe the pendant depicts the Hand of God symbol.
- The artifact was found near Highclere Castle, which is the filming location for Downton Abbey.
- The British Museum classifies the find as treasure.
Still unconfirmed
- The tiny gold hand pendant could be worth a fortune.
What to watch next
- Official valuation of the gold pendant by museum authorities
- Decisions regarding acquisition by the British Museum or local museums
- Further archaeological surveys of the Hampshire farmland site
confidence 95%Sources used for this update (14)
- Fox News — Treasure hunter strikes gold with 1,000-year-old discovery linked to 'Hand of God'
- mezha.net — Metal detectorist finds gold pendant that may depict the “Hand of God”
- Charisma Magazine Online — Gold ‘Hand of God’ Pendant Unearthed After 1,000 Years
- People.com — Treasure Hunter Discovers 1,000-Year-Old Gold Pendant Linked to ‘Hand of God’ Near Downton Abbey Film Set
- www.wfmd.com — Treasure hunter strikes gold with 1,000-year-old discovery ...
- www.foxnews.com — Anglo-Saxon gold pendant may be 'Hand of God,' British Museum ...
- mycharisma.com — Gold ‘Hand of God’ Pendant Unearthed After 1,000 Years
- libertyonenews.com — English Detectorist Digs Up 1,000-Year-Old Gold ‘Hand of God ...
- article.wn.com — Treasure hunter strikes gold with 1,000-year-old discovery ...
- nypost.com — Scientists crack code on 400-year-old treasure ship padlock
- www.postcourier.com.pg — Drum – Tidbit
- Radar.am — A 1,000-Year-Old Gold Pendant: What Experts Have Discovered
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