Gold and garnet: a small pyramid was found in England

A small golden pyramid decorated with a garnet was found in the English city of Breckland. Such artifacts are extremely rare, their purpose could not be precisely determined. According to historians, such pyramids were used to secure the sword in the scabbard. Most of the artifacts belong to the VI-VIII centuries. At first they were low, with a square base, until other forms of products appeared: hexagonal, octagonal, round.

The specimen found in Breckland dates back to the early period. The size of the pyramid is 12x11.9 mm, it has a square base, each side is decorated with three garnets separated by thin partitions. On the one hand, one piece of the garnet is missing, other fragments are cracked. It is suggested that the stones were exported from India or Sri Lanka. The sides of the pyramid are much thicker than the partitions. The artifact is hollow inside and was filled with earth at the time of discovery.

The pyramid was made during the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of East Anglia, which occupied the territory of modern Norfolk and Suffolk. At the end of the VIII century, it was under the control of Mercia, and then conquered by the Danes - Germans who lived on the territory of Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The item could belong to someone from the king's retinue - a rich man who had access to expensive things.