A gardener in Northern Denmark was spending the afternoon digging in their garden when they came upon something that would change their life. The gardener had unearthed over 40 pounds of Viking silver.
The 700-piece hoard, including jewelry, coins, and silver bars, is the largest collection of Viking silver ever unearthed in Denmark, and is three times bigger than the previous record haul.
“It should have just been a few hours of hard gardening work removing stubborn grass, stones and gravel for a new tiled terrace, but it turned out to be the biggest surprise of my life,” said the anonymous finder in a translated statement.
“After half an hour of digging, my grip hit something that made a strange sound. At first I thought it was old iron or fence wire and some potsherds, but when I started digging with my hands, I was suddenly able to fish one metal object after another out of the ground. After a short period of careful work, I realized that it was jewelry, coins, and silver bars,” the gardener added.
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Explore All OptionsHistory of Viking Silver
Vessel with the silver hoard found in a Danish garden.
(Image Courtesy of Nordjyske Museer)
Most of the hoard consisted of silver bars and jewelry. The bars were organized into collections by weight — a key determinant of the pieces’ value in contemporary bartering systems.
The treasures appear to have been buried during the 10th century, during the height of Viking raids around Europe. The hoard includes Anglo-Saxon and Arab coins, along with silver pennies dating from the reign of Anglo-Saxon king Edward the Elder (899-924).
Vikings also conducted raids across North Africa and Muslim-ruled territories in Iberia during the period. The Arab dirham silver coins had been cut into chunks, further indicating that the treasure had been carefully divided up to reflect its value.
The Largest Hoard in Denmark
Archaeologist Torben Sarauw, a heritage manager at the nearby North Jutland Museums, said that the area where the hoard was unearthed, despite being urban today, has revealed several rich sources of historical treasure in recent years.
(Image Courtesy of Nordjyske Museer)
The previous largest silver hoard, dug up in 1971, was also from the Rebild municipality in North Jutland. A deep excavation is unfeasible because of the surrounding buildings, so it remains unclear whether the deposits mark an ancient Viking settlement or a remote burial ground.
“We are faced with an area that time and again delivers spectacular finds from the Viking Age,” said Sarauw in a statement.
Unearthing Where the Silver Came From
There’s hope that small details in the treasure may hold hints as to who buried it. One of the bars is carved with runes, in an inscription that translates as “hutu” — which may be an owner’s mark or name.
The Danish National Museum is now assessing the treasure and will decide where to display it to the public. Wherever it is placed, the new Rebild treasure will act as a window into the economy of the ancient Viking Age.
“This is a find of great importance for our understanding of the Viking Age in Denmark. Not just because of its size, but also because the treasure so clearly shows how silver functioned as wealth and a means of payment in the Viking Age. It’s like finding a safe from the Viking Age,” said Sarauw.
Read More: 82 Viking Workshop Huts Found Near Aarhus May Have Supplied a Major Trading City
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