Oxfordshire is land locked but we still get nautical items being found like this silver gilt post-medieval boatswain's whistle. How did it get to the county then (maybe a trinket, present, to help with hunting or something else?) let us know what you think #FindsFriday

Prettig Sinterklaasfeest allemaal! Here is our wonderful volunteer Pat presenting Naomi with chocolates to celebrate St Nicholas Day. We had to follow tradition and put our shoes in front of the fire ready for St. Nick.

This is a lovely Early Medieval pyramid mount that retains its attatchment point really clearly. Look closely on the sides and you'll even see Niello (the dark grey almost black substance) that adds further definition to the fine detail. #FindsFriday

In the #Oxfordshire Museum garden there is a replica tombstone of a Roman legionary soldier. The explanation panels and images of the modern military representatives who helped acknowledge this life are moving. What do the tombstone's motifs, with their subtle differences mean?

Coins make good materials for brooches as they are already highly decorative and just need a hole piercing into them to make them fixable to clothing. The owners of this item went one further gilding the visible surface to make it shine even more! #FindsFriday

This week our Conservator, Naomi, has been cleaning our Bronze Age Hoard of palstaves in preparation for display. Once cleaned they are soaked in a bath of benzotriazole which inhibits corrosion, thereby stabilising them. #Oxfordshire #BronzeAge #Conservation

Small gold fragments are often hard to date but not that unusual finds in Oxfordshire. These fragments would have been melted or hammered down into all sorts of items from jewelery to coins! #FindsFriday

Inspired by the GCHQ Xmas Puzzle we have a #Medieval one for you to solve. Can you read the inscription on this stone mould? The top image is of the mould, the lower a mirror image to make reading the inscription easier. Be warned, we don't know the answer! We're relying on you.

When the Viking sword was donated to us we documented its condition by taking photographs. Now it has been conserved, the fragile centre strengthened and the repair blended in, and now we have put it away in its bespoke box ready to be x-rayed in the New Year by Historic England.

This is a Bronze Age razor. The large oval section would have been very sharp with the rectangular tab probably placed in a wooden or bone handle. These change their shape quite a lot in the Bronze Age (maybe the users were nicking their skin too many times!) #FindsFriday

Our first #FindsFriday of the New Year, to celebrate here's a little bit of Bling from the Early Medieval period. The beaded decoration would have helped the item shine. We'll be starting a new theme in February so let us know any topics you'd like!

For our curator 2025 started by looking into our replica of the Didcot Iron Age mirror and taking a selfie! The original mirror is on display at The Oxfordshire Museum, and soon this replica will be so you can take your own selfie. The next step is making a stand for the replica.

Preparations for the summer 2025 Ice Age exhibition continues. We will have 4 outlines of axes on the wall on which we will mount Ice Age axes. We have produced paper versions of the cut outs and now positioning the axes so we know where to place the mounts. Forward planning!

Sometimes entire coin hoards might not be found in one go, especially if they have been disturbed by more recent events like ploughing. That happened in this case with these coins being an addendum to an already existing coin hoard! #FindsFriday

Our technician has skilfully made a stand for the replica Didcot mirror using Perspex, wire, shrinking plastic and permanent marker! You will be able to see the quality of reflection that someone holding the original 2,000 years ago would have seen. Next step; writing the label.

We're pretty lucky to have one of these Bronze Age gold ornaments in the collection. They come with a mystery too as archaeologists are unsure what they were used for! Suggestions have included hair ties, earings or ornaments What do you think #FindsFriday

Planning for the summer 2025 Ice Age exhibition continues. We will have 4 outlines of axes on the wall on which we will mount Ice Age axes from the collection. We have a paper version of the outline and now arranging where each axe is mounted. Forward planning! All in the detail!

This knobbly bobbly brooch is Iron Age and coloquially termed a vale brooch as most of them seem to be around the vale of white horse region and its surrounding counties. Japanofiles might see similarities with Pon de ring donuts! #FindsFriday

Sticking with the Iron Age theme from last week this is called a fob dangler. Its a pretty unusual shape but the decoration of three spirals on its main plate is a motif you see lots during this period. #FindsFriday

Our Crowdfunder campaign to save this Iron Age hoard containing a fabulous harness fitting which is nearly 2,000 years old is on-going, and Johnny has something to say on it! Do click on this link to support us in our endeavour... crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-save-th…