Strickland Brooch
- Gallery: Room 41
- Culture: Late Anglo-Saxon
- Date: 9thC(mid)
- Object type: disc brooch
- Materials: silver; gold; niello; glass
- Museum number: 1949,0702.1
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
This is the Strickland Brooch, a stunning example of Late Anglo-Saxon jewelry. Made from sheet silver, it features inlaid gold and niello that add rich contrast to its surface. You’ll notice the deeply carved zoomorphic design—animal shapes formed with incredible detail and pierced to give an open-work effect.
The central design is a hollow-sided cross with animal-head terminals, each with a blue glass eye. Around it are four puppy-like beasts, a hallmark of the Trewhiddle style. Tiny bosses and beaded circles frame the intricate patterns, while speckled and beaded details add texture and depth.
This brooch is especially unique for its opulent use of gold, which was rare in ninth-century silverwork. It comes from northern England, where similar designs appear on strap-ends and horn mounts. Created around the middle of the ninth century, it reflects the artistic flair of a time known for elegant yet dynamic metalwork.
See it in person
Strickland Brooch is on display in Room 41 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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