Buzz
In the year 793 AD, a catastrophe struck the island of Lindisfarne from across the sea. One account recounts how “heathens desecrated God’s sanctuaries, and spilled the blood of saints within the compass of the altar, destroyed the house of our hope, trampled the bodies of saints in God’s temple like animal dung in the street.” The Vikings had arrived. These marauders raided treasures wherever they could find them. Yet, in turn, their treasure hunting has provided us with invaluable insights into the past.
Here are ten Viking-era treasures that have uncovered significant details about life during that time.
10. Galloway Hoard
The Galloway Hoard, uncovered in Scotland in 2014, stands as one of the wealthiest finds from the Viking period ever discovered. After metal detectorist Derek McLennan found a silver armband, archaeologists were summoned, leading to the excavation of a cache containing more than 100 items. Among the hoard were substantial quantities of silver bullion, intricately designed gold artifacts, previously unseen types of brooches, ornamental glass beads, a vessel carved from rock crystal, and a bird-shaped pin.
In addition to the obviously valuable items, there was evidence showing how they were stored. Scraps of wool and silk were used to wrap the objects. These were precious items, so how did they end up buried? Because the collection includes both typically 'Viking' and Anglo-Saxon artifacts, it remains uncertain who buried them. Were they loot from a successful raid? Or was it a British person hiding their wealth to prevent theft?
One of the silver pieces was a fragmented armband. While most silver armbands are believed to be of Norse origin, this one bears British runes with the Old English name Egbert.
9. Vale of York Hoard
In 2007, two metal detectorists stumbled upon the remains of a lead chest without realizing what they were about to uncover. As they dug, something fell from the side of their hole. Seeing glimmers of silver, they refrained from pulling out the treasure right away and instead reported it to archaeologists. After cleaning the object, it was discovered to be a silver vessel lined with gold, packed with additional silver items.
Altogether, nearly 700 coins and other silver pieces were recovered. The vessel holding them was a beautifully adorned cup resembling one already housed in the British Museum. It is likely both were crafted in the same Carolingian workshop during the 10th century. Many of the coins inside were of new types that had not been seen before.
What is most fascinating about this hoard is the insight it provides into the movement of objects during this era. Items from North Africa, Afghanistan, Russia, Scandinavia, and Ireland were all discovered in a vessel from France, illustrating the extensive reach of the Norse trade network.
8. Hoen Hoard
The Hoen Hoard holds the title of the largest collection of Viking-era gold ever found. Discovered in 1875 while a trench was being dug on a farm in Norway, it contains 207 items, including finger rings, neck rings, arm rings, a necklace made of glass beads, and coins altered to be worn as necklaces.
Remarkably, the objects span a period of 500 years. The oldest coin found is a Roman one dating to around AD 360, while the latest coin was minted at the end of the 9th century. It appears that valuable items were kept for generations. Many of the objects seem to have originated from France.
The reason for burying this hoard is unclear, but one theory suggests that it represents the wealth of a woman who had supported a Viking raid. The items in the hoard, including female jewelry, may have been her share of the wealth plundered by the raiders.
7. Herefordshire Hoard
The story of the Herefordshire hoard highlights the importance of reporting significant archaeological discoveries to the proper authorities. In 2015, metal detectorists discovered the hoard, but instead of notifying experts, they took the items and began selling them to dealers. As a result, only a fraction of the original collection has been recovered.
The items that have been returned are breathtaking. They include 30 silver coins, a golden pendant with a rock crystal sphere, and a silver ingot. One of the coins is an exceptionally rare piece from the reign of Alfred the Great. Other objects could have provided valuable insight into the political and artistic landscape of the time.
Police launched an investigation after rumors spread about a large hoard being found and rare coins appearing in dealers' hands. They discovered photographs taken by the detectorists, which indicate that the original hoard contained at least 300 coins. The full collection would have been valued at £12 million. Had the detectorists reported their find, they could have claimed half of that amount, but instead, they tried to sell it all for themselves. In 2019, they were sentenced to several years in prison.
6. Cuerdale Hoard
The Cuerdale Hoard is the largest Viking-era hoard ever discovered in Britain. It contains over 8,600 objects and was probably buried in the early 10th century. It was discovered in 1840 by workers who were reinforcing the banks of a river in Lancashire. The owners of the land acted quickly to ensure all the items were kept together—though the workers were allowed to keep one coin each for their discovery.
The hoard was found within a large lead chest. Among the objects were bone pins. It seems as if the objects had been placed in the chest inside small bundles of textiles that were held in place by the pins. The majority of the coins were freshly minted by the Norse. A few, however, were silver coins from the Islamic world. The location of the hoard—on a main route from Norse York to the sea—suggests that the hoard was bound for export.
That the silver was parcelled out makes some researchers think that it may have been prepared as payment when it arrived at its destination, with each person receiving their share.
5. Bedale Hoard
Unlike the Herefordshire Hoard, the discoverers of the Bedale Hoard did everything right. When the metal detectorists came across silver objects while exploring a Yorkshire field, they contacted the Finds Liaison Officer, who deals with artifacts. By leaving many of the objects in the ground, they preserved the context of the hoard, which can tell archaeologists so much about the past.
The Bedale Hoard consisted of silver ingots, silver neck rings, and a sword. The ingots were discovered in a confined space, indicating they had once been stored in a box, which had long since decomposed. The most fascinating artifact, however, was the sword's pommel, which featured small, decorated gold plaques.
The absence of coins in this hoard is typical for Viking-era hoards. It was not unusual to find silver items that had been cut into pieces. Silver bullion was a common medium of exchange and played a significant role in the Viking economy during this period.
4. Arlanda Airport Hoard
One of Sweden's largest Viking-era hoards, discovered near Arlanda Airport in Stockholm, shed light on the far-reaching trade routes of the Vikings. Archaeologists initially uncovered one coin, then another, ultimately finding a total of 470. These coins were not minted locally; most were from distant cities like Damascus and Baghdad.
The coins date back to the mid-9th century, coinciding with the early period of Viking coin imports. Most scholars believe they were acquired through trade rather than looted during raids. Some of these coins were of Persian origin and had already been centuries old by the time they were buried.
The burial mound where the hoard was found was a thousand years older than the hoard itself. It was likely buried there because the mound served as a convenient landmark, and the people who buried it probably thought they would be able to find it again. However, they were mistaken.
3. Spillings Hoard
The largest Viking hoard ever uncovered was found in 1999 on a farm near Spillings, Sweden. Metal detectors were being used on the field as part of a news segment about the threat to archaeological sites posed by looting. After the cameras were turned off, the detectorists continued, and within minutes, they discovered a hoard of silver so vast that it overwhelmed their equipment.
In total, three separate caches of silver and bronze were unearthed at the site. Unfortunately, one of these caches was so densely packed with silver that it was impossible to x-ray. The horde contained 486 silver bangles and 14,295 coins. Most of the coins originated from the Islamic world, dating between AD 539 and 870. Over 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of silver were recovered in total.
Several of the coins were found to be forgeries of the time. Though all the coins were made of high-quality silver, they were minted to appear as though they came from different regions. Nevertheless, as long as the silver content was correct, it seems the Vikings weren't particularly concerned with their authenticity.
2. Viggbyholm Hoard
The Viking-era hoard discovered at Viggbyholm, Sweden, included many of the expected treasures: twisted silver neck collars, arm rings, pearls, and silver coins repurposed as pendants. However, among the items once hidden beneath the wooden floor of a building, there was one coin that captured the most attention.
The Normans had strong connections to the Vikings, with the very name ‘Norman’ derived from ‘North Men.’ Yet, there is surprisingly little evidence of trade between the two groups. This particular coin, however, was Norman in origin and of a type that hadn’t been seen since the 18th century. Its existence had been questioned until it turned up here.
The rarity of Norman coins in Viking hoards can be explained by the Vikings’ preference for high-quality silver. The Normans, on the other hand, mixed copper with their silver to mint their coins. The Vikings, however, were only interested in the finest silver.
1. Watlington Hoard
The Watlington Hoard may not be as large as some other hoards on this list, but it holds significant historical value. It represents a crucial moment in the power struggles between competing kingdoms in Britain. In the 860s, Viking raiders seized northern England while Alfred the Great reigned over Wessex in the south.
The Watlington Hoard includes 13 British coins depicting Alfred the Great alongside Ceowulf II, the ruler of Mercia. These coins were minted to demonstrate the cooperation between the two rulers in the face of Viking threats. This discovery challenges the previous view of Ceowulf as a Viking puppet, suggesting that he was likely collaborating with Alfred after all.
