A 'snail man' pendant which may have been the 14th Century version of a social media meme, to work paying tribute to queer people in Great Yarmouth's fishing industry.

Those are among the top items added to the collection of Norfolk Museums Service over the past year.

The county's museums service has about three million items, but bosses are always keen to add to the collection to help interpret the county's history.

And curators have revealed their favourite acquisitions made in 2020/21.

Archaeology (curator Dr Tim Pestell)

Medieval silver gilt zoomorphic annular brooch

Eastern Daily Press: Medieval silver gilt zoomorphic annular brooch.Medieval silver gilt zoomorphic annular brooch. (Image: Norfolk Museums Service)

Archaeologist and University of East Anglia graduate Tom Lucking discovered this medieval silver gilt brooch in a field near Wymondham.

The roughly teardrop shaped brooch is made up of two moulded lions lying with their back legs stretched out. Pale pink/purple amethysts are set near the heads and paws of the lions.

A couple had bought the brooch for the museum service after it was declared as treasure by a coroner.

Silver pendant set with jet

Eastern Daily Press: Silver pendant set with jet.Silver pendant set with jet. (Image: Norfolk Museums Service)

Found In Weeting, this silver pendant, probably a souvenir of a pilgrimage, was donated by the finer and landowner.

Comparison with other pendants shows it was intended as a shell with the figure of St James the Great superimposed upon it.

Likely to be from the 16th or 17th Centuries, Dr Pestell said it may have been made in Spain.

An incomplete early medieval gold and garnet cross pendant

Eastern Daily Press: An incomplete early medieval gold and garnet cross pendant.An incomplete early medieval gold and garnet cross pendant. (Image: Norfolk Museums Service)

Discovered in Deopham, the cross pendant dates back to the 7th Century.

Dr Pestell said: "This pendant joins the small number of gold and garnet cross pendants known from early Anglo-Saxon contexts, all of which are fairly diverse in size, shape and technique.

"They are likely to have adorned high-status necklaces during the 7th century."

An incomplete medieval silver box pendant

Eastern Daily Press: An incomplete medieval silver box pendant.An incomplete medieval silver box pendant. (Image: Norfolk Museums Service)

Dating from between 1300 to 1400, this locket or reliquary was found in Tilney All Saints.

The sub-rectangular front panel of the box pendant features what Dr Pestell described as "quasi-heraldic design" - a snail with a human head, wearing a hood.

Dr Pestell said there was a proliferation of 'snail-man' images in the 14th century, likening that to the equivalent of today's memes on social media.

Eastern Daily Press: Dr Tim Pestell.Dr Tim Pestell. (Image: Archant)

But he said there was much debate as to the meaning of such snail imagery, but it could have had satirical and comedic cultural meaning in the 14th Century.

He said it may have been made in England, possibly in Norfolk, but may have been imported from the Low Countries or Northern France.

Fine Art (curator Dr Francesca Vanke)

The Virgin and Child by a follower of Gerard David

Eastern Daily Press: The Virgin and Child by a follower of Gerard David.The Virgin and Child by a follower of Gerard David. (Image: Norfolk Museums Service)

The early 16th century oil will be displayed within a new purpose-built Gallery of the Medieval World being developed with the British Museum as part of the £14m Royal Palace Reborn redevelopment of Norwich Castle's keep.

Dr Vanke said: "This innovative gallery will display artworks from the Norman Conquest to the Reformation, of mixed media including metalwork, ivories, textiles, manuscripts and paintings."

Eastern Daily Press: Dr Francesca Vanke.Dr Francesca Vanke. (Image: Archant)

It was donated via the Art Fund.

Modern and Contemporary Art (Curator Dr Rosy Gray)

Open Ramble East by Ian Giles

Eastern Daily Press: Outhouse by Ian Giles.Outhouse by Ian Giles. (Image: Rob Harris)

Ian Giles was one of 10 artists commissioned to respond to sites nominated by the public in the East of England.

He developed a series of walks titled Open Ramble East and an installation work Outhouse, which contained material gathered during these walks, exploring LGBTQI+ histories in the region.

The work has entered Norwich Castle's art collection with support from Art Fund, V&A Purchase Grant Fund and Norfolk Contemporary Art Society.

I Hope I'm Loud When I'm Dead by Beatrice Gibson

Eastern Daily Press: I Hope I'm Loud When I'm Dead by Beatrice Gibson.I Hope I'm Loud When I'm Dead by Beatrice Gibson. (Image: Beatrice Gibson)

This 21-minute long film is a highly personal account of the artist’s world set against the backdrop of Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony in 2017.

It was bought with support from the Contemporary Art Society, V&A Purchase Grant Fund, Art Fund and Norfolk Contemporary Art Society.

Time and Tide Museum, Great Yarmouth (curator Jo Jones)

Skipper by Adam Hummel

Eastern Daily Press: Skipper by Adam Hummel.Skipper by Adam Hummel. (Image: Wayne Pilgrim)

Skipper was part of ‘Catch of The Day’ a collection and an exhibition created especially for Norfolk Museums by young queer artist Adam Hummel.

He was inspired by the heritage of Great Yarmouth, specifically the fishing industry and the LGBTQI+ community.

The garment takes typical work wear and gender ‘specific’ clothing and shakes it up with a camp and glamorous touch.