The garment pin from Skt. Jørgensparken

356 grams of Viking silver

The pin was found during clay digging at the former Skt. Jørgens brickworks. It is made of silver and decorated with, among other things, gilded animal figures and niello – a black material used to emphasise the engraved patterns.

Its size, the amount of silver and the detailed craftsmanship show that this was a valuable piece of jewellery. The pin was probably worn visibly on clothing and may have served not only a practical purpose, but also as a sign of its owner’s status.

A piece of jewellery with links to the north and west

The pin is unusual in a Danish context. A few fragments of similar pins have been found in Denmark, but the example from Skt. Jørgensparken is the only intact one of its type.

The closest parallels have been found in Norway and parts of the British Isles, where Norwegian Vikings had a strong presence. The find therefore tells of a Viking Age in which people, goods and ideas travelled over long distances.

Near Ejby Mølle, close to the findspot, archaeologists have also discovered traces of Viking Age settlement. We do not know whether the pin was connected to the people who lived here, but it is another trace of life east of early Odense.

A find beneath the modern city

Today, Skt. Jørgensparken is a green area in Odense, and nothing on the surface reveals the remarkable silver find from 1857. The pin is therefore a reminder of how much we can still learn about the Viking Age from objects that emerge from the ground by chance or through archaeological excavation.

Today, you can see the pin at TID – Museum for Odense.