Incredible coincidence, a detectorist found a Slavic cross that matches the form discovered in 1983

A small bronze pendant in the shape of a cross in a ring from the 10th century was found by a metal detector on the outskirts of West Havelland near Berlin. Its significance is quite extraordinary: it was cast in a mould that was discovered elsewhere 43 years ago. The unique combination of mould and product is quite extraordinary in archaeology.

The cross was discovered by volunteer collaborator Juliane Rangnow during a detector survey near a defunct wooden church. Along with it, she unearthed coins, pieces of gilded jewellery, metal ornaments, small tools and fragments of weapons. The objects were subsequently conserved at the Brandenburg State Office for the Preservation of Monuments and the State Archaeological Museum (BLDAM).

While carrying out precise measurements and technical documentation, the restorers noticed a striking correspondence between the cross and a casting mould from Spandau, which is now in the collections of the Museum of Prehistory and Early History in Berlin. Subsequent direct comparison of the two objects confirmed that the cross and the mould corresponded exactly in all details.

Fragments of this form were discovered as early as 1983 at the Slavic settlement in Spandau. This form is known in the literature as the 'Spandau Cross' and is one of the oldest examples of early Christianity in the area between the Elbe and the Oder. The discovery of the pendant thus makes it possible for the first time to link a production tool with a finished artefact.

"The discovery of the small bronze cross is not just another of many finds. This find is spectacular in several respects: it exactly matches a casting mould that was discovered more than 40 years ago - this is unique for an archaeological find from this period," said Culture Minister Dr. Manja Schüle. "It is also an example of the early Christianisation of Brandenburg and shows the role that Christianity already played in the region, which was predominantly Slavic at the time. And what pleases me most, it is a particularly impressive testament to the dedication of volunteer archaeologists to heritage," she added.

The object was created before the Slavic uprising of 983, a period when the region was heavily influenced by Frankish and imperial power. The Christian symbol probably arrived here through trade, travelling craftsmen or as a personal object of someone who moved between the worlds of the pagan Slavs and the Christian West. Permanent Christianisation did not occur until after the 12th century, when the region became part of the Holy Roman Empire.

The cross links a specific place, the technology of production and the spiritual world of the early Middle Ages. It is a silent witness to a time when old and new ideas intermingled, and when the cultural boundaries of central Europe were only just taking shape. The two subjects thus meet again after more than 1,000 years. They will be on display together at the Brandenburg State Archaeological Museum in Brandenburg am Main until 11 March.

Thanks to the cooperation of trained detectorists with institutions in Germany, finds that would otherwise have been left in the ground or taken out of context are being captured. Juliane Rangnow is one of around 350 volunteer collaborators at the Brandenburg State Office for Monument Management and the State Archaeological Museum (BLDAM). As the museum itself writes: "they make a significant contribution to the documentation, protection and dissemination of archaeological heritage".

Sources: brandenburg.de, bldam-brandenburg.de

Bronze pendant in the shape of a cross in a circle

cross in form

Slavic casting mould