Thrilled Detectorist Finds 800-Year-Old Brooch with Magical Words to Ward off Illness

Thrilled Detectorist Finds 800-Year-Old Brooch with Magical Words to Ward off Illness

A keen metal detectorist was amazed to find an 800-year-old brooch that was used as a magical charm to keep fever at bay.  

William Nordhoff, 49, initially thought he was digging up another piece of lead when he made the discovery in a field in Pewsey Vale, Wiltshire, and had to sit down for what felt like ‘eternity’ while his shock subsided.

A coroner dated the medieval brooch, which weighs 5.77g, to 1150-1350 AD, and it was officially declared treasure under the Treasure Act 1996 as it consists of 10 per cent precious metal and was more than 300 years old at the time of finding.

An auction expert estimated it could be worth up to £5,000.  

The roughly circular brooch has a bevelled edge that has part of a Christian devotional prayer inscribed on its four surfaces along a diameter of 24mm. 

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The Hebrew letters A, G, L, and A on the inner inscription are believed to have amuletic properties, according to the coroner’s report, invoked as a charm against fever during the medieval period.

The Latin written on the brooch translates coroner dated the medieval brooch, which weighs 5.77g, to 1150-1350 AD, and it was officially declared treasure under the Treasure Act 1996 as it consists of 10 per cent precious metal and was more than 300 years old at the time of findings to: ‘Hail Mary full of grace the Lord/is with thee/blessed art thou amongst women/and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. Amen.’

What makes it unique is its four inscribed surfaces, its relatively good condition, and the fact there were no spelling mistakes made in the inscription.

The inquest concluded there are no others like it.

Mr Nordhoff, a former Lance Corporal in the army, said: ‘That day, I had found a few pieces of lead and I thought ”oh God, another piece” - 99 per cent of the time its junk: a bit of lead, an old ring pull tab from a can of coke or old bullet cases.

‘I was quite shocked - as soon as I picked it up, I could tell from weight and colour it was gold.

‘I didn’t quite fall to the ground but sat down for what felt like an eternity, thinking ‘is that what I think it is?’

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‘I knew straight away it was something special because I’ve seen these brooches before but I’ve never seen one with so much writing on it.’

The father of four, from Pewsey Vale, added: ‘It could have been a one in a million chance that I found it. It’s a big field - I could have spent ten years going back and forth, and could have just missed it by a couple of centimetres.’