Medieval pendant with Three Lions unveiled ahead of women’s football final

Football may or may not be coming home to England in Sunday's Euros 22 final at Wembley, but a new archaeological discovery shows how much the Three Lions have meant to the country.

A tiny medieval pendant made from copper alloy and featuring the famous heraldic emblem has come to light after being found by metal detectorists. The pendant was made from red and gold and was designed to hang from a horse harness.

Archaeologists say that medieval horse harness pendants are very worn, even though they are not uncommon. It is very rare to see a horse harness pendant like this from an archaeological context in such a fine state of preservation.

There are areas of the object that were less likely to be weathered when it was in use. The object, barely 2 cm in breadth, may have become detached from its fitting while in use and was lost.

King Henry II added a lion to the arms of England in order to represent his marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine. The heraldic symbol was used by the Crown between 1189 and 1340 and has been associated with the English throne ever since.

The three lions symbol has been used by the Football Association since the late 19th century, but it is also used by the cricket team.

The pendant was found close to a Late iron age and British enclosures being excavated as part of the ongoing HS2 development. Archeologists believe the find is related to agricultural activity from that time period, and it is close to the important medieval settlement of Wormleighton.

The whole country supports the England women's team and we hope this find will inspire them to create their own piece of history on Sunday.