A pommel cap found in the Netherlands has been confirmed to be of tenth-century Viking origin. The sword fragment was found earlier this year by a metal detectorist and has now been examined by experts from the Fries Museum.
A symbolic artifact
The pommel cap was discovered in May 2024 by archeology enthusiast Sander Visser, who was exploring a field at a farm near the village of Witmarsum in the Friesland region.
The object was buried just 20 cm below the surface of the field. As Visser removed it from the ground, he immediately recognized it as part of the pommel – the rounded section on the end of a sword handle.
After careful analysis by the Fryske Akademy and the Fries Museum, the find, made of copper alloy with traces of gilding, has now been confirmed to be of Viking design.
The cap has been provisionally dated to 900–1000 CE, and the ornate carving appears to contain symbolic meaning.
According to the museum, the pommel cap was carved in the Mammen style, which developed from the Jellinge style of Denmark. The two ends of the pommel feature animal heads that appear to represent wild boars.
In Viking culture, boars were associated with strength and courage and frequently appeared in motifs linked to combat.
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Archeologists from the Fryske Akademy and the Fries Museum are conducting further research on the artifact. Photo: Jacob van Essen / Hoge Noorden
"A first in the Netherlands"
In the present day, the cross-border region of Frisia includes the northern section of the Netherlands and parts of northwest Germany.
During the Viking Age, however, the area had many links to Scandinavia thanks to its proximity to Denmark.
Most notably, large parts of Frisia, including Utrecht and Dorestad – a major medieval emporium – were ruled by Rorik of Dorestad, a Danish Viking, between 841 and 873.
Although the presence of the Vikings in Frisia was documented in historical texts, there have been relatively few archeological finds, making the unearthing of the pommel cap a truly notable event.
"This special discovery shows that there is still much to discover about the Viking Age in Frisia," states Dr. Nelleke Ijssennagger-van der Pluijm, director of the Fryske Akademy, in a press release.
"This was an area larger than present-day Friesland, about which we have learned a lot through research in recent years."
"It strengthens our understanding of the contacts between Frisia and the Viking world in Scandinavia and the British Isles and offers a new dimension to our historical insight, as this beautiful pommel cap is a first in the Netherlands."
The pommel cap will be displayed at the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden starting in April 2025. Photo: Jacob van Essen / Hoge Noorden
Nearly ready for display
The study of the fragment by the Fryske Akademy and the Fries Museum is ongoing, with the team expecting to conduct further analysis of the artifact in the context of both Frisia and Viking Scandinavia and also in terms of the symbolism and sword-making traditions of the connected cultures.
In particular, the experts will attempt to understand whether the pommel cap was removed from the sword at any point, which could indicate a degree of customization befitting this kind of status symbol, or whether the sword was taken apart in its entirety.
They will also try to find out how it may have been brought to Friesland.
After this period of analysis, the artifact will be placed on display as part of the Above Ground Level exhibition at the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden from April 2025.
The piece will then be returned to the Fries Museum in the autumn of the same year, where it will be made available for public viewing.
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