Forever Bronze - the life, death and resurrection of the Hjälmared hoard at Vitlycke museum

In the spring of 2021, a magnificent bronze treasure was discovered on a mountain side in western Sweden by chance by a man while making maps for his orienteering club. Archaeological excavations and subsequent dating revealed that the 50-something artifacts had been deposited at least 2600 years prior, making them part of one of the largest Late Bronze Age hoards ever recovered in Sweden. The adornments, primarily female, are as mysterious as they are captivating regarding their possible functions. In order to display how they may have been attached to the body or garment, two interpretations were produced. The exhibition at Vitlycke museum also includes an illustration of how the environment surrounding the Hjälmared hoard may have looked during the Late Bronze Age.

The illustrations are the result of a close collaboration with the museum´s leading archaeologist Lars Strid and director Monica Risenius.

The exhibition Forever Bronze - the life, death and resurrection of the Hjälmared hoard / För evigt brons - Hjälmaredsskattens liv, död och återuppståndelse opened in July 2025.