A new display featuring items discovered in the island through metal detection is now attracting people to the Manx Museum.

Curated with the Manx Detectorists Society, the display introduces some of the fascinating artefacts which have been discovered on the island and the dedicated people who found them.

According to Manx National Heritage, the finds on display include a collection of 2,000 year old brooches, a collection of Viking Age artefacts from two previously unrecorded trading sites, and a collectors ‘Treasure Chest’. Later in the year, Viking Treasures (of which more Viking Age silver has been discovered in the island per square kilometre than northern England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) will be added.

From small metal items, buttons, buckles coins and decorative pieces of metalwork spanning thousands of years, metal detectorists discover some extraordinary items on the Isle of Man.

Manx National Heritage assesses these discoveries, a selection of which are now on display at the Manx Museum in ‘Lost and Found’.

Allison Fox, curator of archaeology for MNH, said: ‘Manx National Heritage is pleased to be working with the Manx Detectorists Society on this fascinating display, which gives just a hint at the variety of objects discovered on the Isle of Man.

‘The display includes artefacts held in private collections and artefacts donated to the National Collections.

‘It might come as a surprise for people to see just what gets lost and at some point, found!’

Over the past 15 years, metal detectorists have reported over 800 finds from the island.

Some of these have hit the headlines, many have been donated to the National Collections at the Manx Museum and each one contributes to our understanding of the Isle of Man’s past.

‘Lost and Found Metal Detecting Discoveries on Man’ is on display in the Cabinet of Curiosity at the Manx Museum until July 2023.

Admission to the exhibition is free.