Maghull. (O/N Magnificent Ull

Maghull. (O/N Magnificent Ull). Christopher Pope.

This is the side profile of a helmeted warrior. One of over 100 all have been excavated from one mound.This example is Icelandic Tuft.

This is a larger stone carving of what I believe to be the “Procession to Valhalla”. For a few years I believed it to be Sandstone, but have recently discovered it is “Bog Iron”. Bog Iron is common all round this area. I have now become quite good at finding it. The area was once part of the largest low land peat bog in the UK.

THIS IS ALL SO BOG IRON. A PIECE OF SLATE HAS BEEN PLACED IN ONE OF THE HOLES AND SECURED BY DRIPPED LEAD.

All the artefacts I am finding seem to have been hidden. What I mean by this is, i had to brush what I believe to been some kind of plaster. When wet or even just damp, it becomes impossible to remove the outer layer. It is not until the Bog Iron is completely dry and it then becomes possible to to clean off. The process can take many weeks. All of the artefacts I have which include Bronze, Silver, Silver alloy, as well as the Bog Iron all have one thing in common. When moved, only slightly they show a different picture, or scene. For example, a Elf sitting on a rock looking up at a Valkyrie, when you move it just slightly the scene changes to a figure sitting on a wooden throne. Turn it to the side and it shows a figure lying down on a square stone slab. There will be many more scenes on this one piece alone, when I have finished brushing it. I have also discovered pieces of of glass that has been napped into profiles of helmeted warriors. I believe the reason all the artefacts, Metal and Bog Iron, have been deliberately hidden. If they where recognised as art work they would have been taken away by grave robbers, even people who where just curious may have taken them away, this would have meant less helmeted warriors to fight the battles they believed they had to fight on their journey to Valhalla.