At the end of 2019 in Scotland, not far from the village of Blair Drummond (Sterling County), an amateur archaeologist found part of an old sword - a beautiful golden pommel. He immediately notified the Treasure Trove Unit, which is investigating artifact sites and evaluating the finds. Due to the pandemic, the study had to be postponed, and only now the item has again come into the public eye - the pommel was transferred to the National Museum of Scotland.
The item was made at the very beginning of the 7th century BC. e. It is made from a single piece of gold, decorated with a complex pattern and complemented by several stones - garnets. Gold items of such high quality, created in those days, are rare in the UK.
The artifact dates back to the times when the so-called insular art dominated, which is attributed to the art of the period of migration of peoples. Most of the surviving works of that era are illuminated manuscripts, there are also metal items used by the elite. As a characteristic feature of insular art is the mixture of styles, it is difficult to determine where and by whom this pommel was created. Judging by the quality of the gold, the sword could have belonged to a wealthy person and even a member of the royal family.
