Brooch from Laitila

This silver brooch dating from the Viking Age was found in a field in Laitila in 1940. The person who found the large brooch thought it had come from a Russian plane during the war and put it on a fence pole. The brooch remained attached to the pole for a few months, until it was delivered to Turku and from there to the National Museum’s collections.

The brooch type probably originated in Ireland, from where it spread with the Vikings to Scotland, England and Scandinavia, and also to Finland. The Laitila brooch is the only brooch of this Irish type known in Finland. The brooch has also been called a thistle brooch due to its thistle-like spherical pins. The pins are hollow, flat on the back and decorated with ring patterns. There are also different patterns consisting of lines, triangles and dots along the brooch.

Brooches were used to fasten cloaks and other pieces of clothing. Large brooches were a visible indication of the owner’s wealth and position.

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