BRIGG PEOPLE CAN TAKE PART IN THRILLING PUBLIC TREASURE HUNT

BY CHRIS O'ROURKE, NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL

Five unique historic artefacts are being cast in solid gold in preparation for Treasured City - a thrilling public treasure hunt across North Lincolnshire launching in early 2017.
A Janus train engine and Viking brooch are among the five objects from North Lincolnshire Museum selected by internationally-renowned artist Luke Jerram, to reflect the rich heritage of North Lincolnshire.
Each object is being cast in 18 carat gold – worth £1,000 each – and will be hidden in secret locations across Scunthorpe and the surrounding area for the public to find and keep. Clues to the whereabouts of the five gold artworks will be hidden in five paintings specially created for a new exhibition at 20-21 Visual Arts Centre, which will open on 18 February 2017.
Treasured City is designed to encourage people to explore North Lincolnshire’s rich heritage as well engaging those who wouldn’t normally visit a gallery or take part in arts events.
The casting process is being captured on film and will be displayed at 20-21 Visual Arts Centre as part of the final exhibition.
The first object chosen by Luke is an intricate 16th century Ivory Fisherwoman figurine which was discovered in a garden on West Street in Winteringham. At 6cm tall, the figure is carrying two fish in her left hand, indicative perhaps of Winteringham’s location north of Scunthorpe on the banks of the Humber Estuary.
The second object to be cast in gold will be a small 3cm copper alloy ram figurine, believed to be 1st century Roman. Discovered in Winteringham like the Ivory fisherwoman, the exact origins of the figurine are unknown but it is believed that it may represent a sacrificial ram within a household or temple shrine, or may even be a simple child’s toy. 
Representing Scunthorpe’s ancient geological history, an ammonite is the third object in the Treasured City hunt. Ammonites, with their typically ribbed spiral shell form, are perhaps one of the most recognisable fossil types, with their name originating from the Greek ram-horned god Ammon. Ammonites belong to a group of predators known as cephalopods, which includes their living relatives the octopus and squid, and they lived in the sea between 240 and 65 million years ago.
A beautiful Viking brooch is the fourth item that Luke will be casting into gold for the treasure hunt, selected to pay homage to the region’s Viking history. The brooch, which was discovered by a metal detector in Ewerby, is a typical trefoil shape and is decorated with interlaced animals in a Borre style.
Trefoil brooches such as this were traditionally worn by Viking women. In the 9th Century, Vikings raided the North East coast of Britain ahead of a full scale invasion in 866AD. After crossing the Humber, the Danes sacked and captured York, a traditionally great defensive stronghold, despite fierce Northumbrian resistance.
The final object to be cast in gold is the recognisable Janus train used in the steelworks of Scunthorpe for transporting materials across the site. The ‘two-faced’ train was chosen by Luke as it represents the Scunthorpe steelworks which has dominated the town and its history.
The iron industry in Scunthorpe was established in the mid-tenth century, and it is known today as the UK’s largest steel processing centre.
Eager treasure hunters will want to head down to North Lincolnshire Museum where four of the five artefacts are currently on display. See if you can find the Tudor ivory fisherwoman, Roman copper ram, Viking brooch and ammonites in the museum’s archaeology and geology galleries, to give you an ideal of what you’ll be looking for next year.
However, you will have to be quick if you want to see the real artefacts before the start of the Treasured City exhibition; North Lincolnshire Museum will close on 24 December for the installation of a new permanent gallery and is due to reopen in February 2017.
Coun Carl Sherwood, from Brigg, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing at North Lincolnshire Council, said: “The items Luke has chosen for this exciting project represent North Lincolnshire’s history from ancient times, right up to the present day. Many people might not realise what a rich heritage our area has and Treasured City is helping to highlight it to a much wider audience.
“Hunting the original artefacts down at North Lincolnshire Museum will be fantastic practice for when the exhibition opens at 20-21 in February!”
Commissioned by 20-21 Visual Arts Centre, Treasured City is being supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, with kind support from North Lincolnshire Museum. People can follow the progress of Treasured City at www.lukejerram.com/treasuredcity or via twitter @lukejerram and @2021VisualArts and by searching the hashtag #treasuredcity

N.F. ADDS: North Lincolnshire Museum is on Oswald Road, Scunthorpe, close to the railway station. The museum is on the No 4 Hornsby bus route from Brigg, with a stop just outside the front entrance.