Archaeologists discovered an Early Medieval decorated copper bird during excavations of Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland, United Kingdom.

The find was recovered from a cobbled surface revealed at the base of a narrow trench towards the end of the 2016 excavation season. The site of the excavations was once the palace site of the Early Medieval kings of Northumbria. The discovered artefact measures 23mm by 12mm and depicts a zoomorphic representation of a bird, characteristic of Early Medieval North European art. Experts believe this bird mount is unique, with no direct parallels and likely to be 8th century in date.

(after Bamburgh Research Project, iTV & Berwick Advertiser)