Ever since metal detectorist Bob Jemmett found "Nobby" six years ago, the figure has been his "constant companion," but now he's selling it to make improvements to his home.
Noonans“Nobby,” the Celtic fertility figure found in Cambridgeshire in 2018, dates back to the first century B.C.E.
In September 2018, an English metal detectorist named Bob Jemmett found a small bronze figure in a field in Little Chishill, Cambridgeshire. The figure, which measures just 1.5 inches tall, had a strange, alien-like head and, perhaps most notably, a massive phallus.
Jemmett would later learn that it was likely a representation of a Celtic fertility god, not unlike other figures found in English fields, and gave it the nickname “Nobby.” Jemmett has held onto Nobby ever since he first found it, but recently made the decision to sell it after a house burglary.
On June 20, the figure is set to be sold alongside ancient coins and antiquities at Noonans Mayfair.
The Discovery Of The Ancient Celtic Fertility Figure In A Cambridgeshire Field
When Bob Jemmett discovered Nobby nearly six years ago, it was under less-than-ideal circumstances. He had joined an organized rally for amateur metal detectorists, but the weather was unfavorable, to say the least.
“The weather was appalling with the rain lashing down, but I persevered and received a lovely signal from my Minelab 3030 detector,” Jemmett said in an announcement from Noonans. “Digging down four inches, I uncovered a small, bronze, nude, male figure, which featured a prominent erection similar to the Cerne Abbas Giant, that is carved into a hill in Dorset.”
Wikimedia CommonsThe Cerne Abbas Giant is a massive chalk figure carved into a hillside near the village of Cerne Abbas in Dorset, England, and its origins remain a mystery.
Jemmett explained that “Nobby” was later identified as a Celtic fertility figure, and eventually even used by rally organizers in promotional materials.
“As a result, detectorists from all over Europe at rallies would ask me if they could see Nobby, who I always keep in my pocket as a constant companion,” Jemmett said.
“Nobby” Goes Up For Auction
Jemmett is now ready to part with his constant companion, however, after a recent local house burglary. He has been using his metal detector for 30 years, and he is married with two children and eight grandchildren. The 75-year-old said he wants to use the proceeds from the sale to make improvements to his home.
NoonansBob Jemmett, the metal detectorist who discovered “Nobby.”
“This unique figure dates from the first century B.C.E.,” said Nigel Mills, an artifact and coin expert at Noonans, “he has an oversized bald head with deep sockets for eyes, wedges for arms, and short legs. There is a loop behind for suspension.”
Noonans predicted the figure could fetch up to £1,500 (roughly $1,900).
A similar Celtic figure was found by a Lincolnshire couple in 2022, at which time Mills explained what purpose these figures might have served to the ancient Celts.
“[T]his is a representation of a fertility god, probably based on the Roman god Mercury as he is holding a purse in his left hand,” Mills said. “This male figure with its hinged oversized phallus would have had symbolic powers of good luck and warding off evil spirits and may have served as a locking mechanism as a buckle to hold a belt and scabbard for a sword.”
Despite such theories, much about “Nobby” remains a mystery, and likely always will.
After reading about the Celtic figure known as “Nobby,” dive into more Celtic history by learning about the mystifying history of druids. Then, learn about Morrígan, the Celtic harbinger of death.
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