The family’s search for a simple piece of jewelry led them to discover fascinating artifacts buried beneath the grass of their own yard. Researchers believe this find has the potential to significantly enhance our understanding of the customs of Scandinavians during the Viking Age.

More often than not, some of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the era come unexpectedly as members of the public stumble upon an artifact or site during their everyday lives. One such example is the underground city of Derinkuyu, which was discovered by a Turkish man who was simply renovating his home.

As they scoured the back garden using a metal detector, the device began ringing, yet no earring could be found. After digging up a small portion of the yard, they discovered two metal items that were later dated to the Viking Age, per The Smithsonian.

Researchers detailed the discovery, explaining that the family had unearthed two bronze brooches, likely used by ancient Scandinavians to fasten the straps of a woman’s dress.

Both are intricately decorated with elaborate depictions of geometric patterns and animals. Researchers theorize they may have once been covered with gold, as a minor trace of the rare metal was noted on both artifacts.

“A Viking grave right under the turf!” wrote the Vestfold and Telemark County Council’s cultural heritage office on Facebook, translated via Google Translate.

Previous to the find, researchers had suspected a Viking presence on the island due to several piles of loose rocks known as cairns. However, as the record only goes back to the Middle Ages, they couldn’t say with certainty that ancient Scandinavians lived here.

One reason for their excellent state of preservation is that the land surrounding the family home was never used for farming. So, as it wasn’t plowed, they remained safe beneath the layers of soil.

They continued, “If it’s safe there, then it will probably not be dug but preserved where it is.” Despite the hope of a Viking burial, no such remains have been discovered yet.

Erlend Bore was scouring the island of Rennesøy with her metal detector when she came across a hoard of gold jewelry dating back over 1,500 years.

The artifact was later displayed at the Museum of Somerset and underscores the connection between the Germanic-speaking groups of Scandinavia and those who later settled in the British Isles.

Further excavations in the region may produce items of a similar nature and quite possibly a burial, which would further expand our knowledge of the region and may even provide us with answers as to when the Vikings originally settled the island.