Witham Pins
- Gallery: Room 41
- Culture: Middle Anglo-Saxon
- Date: 8thC(late)
- Object type: pin
- Materials: glass; silver
- Museum number: 1858,1116.4
- 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
Before you are the "Witham Pins"—a set of three extraordinary silver-gilt pins linked in a single, elegant design. Each disc-shaped head is richly decorated with intricate chip-carving and delicate patterns of interlace and plant-like designs.
These pins, dating to the late 8th century, were discovered in 1826 along the River Witham in Lincolnshire and later donated to the museum in 1858. Crafted with gold leafing, punching, and inlaid glass, they show a remarkable mastery of Anglo-Saxon metalworking.
The central pin is the largest, while the left and right ones differ in style. Each features a cross-shaped pattern with animal motifs wrapped in flowing interlace. The designs suggest a connection to other eighth-century artworks across northern and central England.
The backs of the pins remain plain, but their front surfaces transform into dazzling scenes of artistry—from winged creatures and floral patterns to finely detailed spirals. These are not just adornments but a window into the vibrant Middle Anglo-Saxon world of craftsmanship and style.
See it in person
Witham Pins 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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