Silverdale Treasure

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Silverdale's Treasure

The Silverdale Hoard is a hoard from the early Middle Ages . It was discovered in 2011 in an unspecified field at a depth of 40 cm on the outskirts of Silverdale in Lancashire , England by the probe Darren Webster. The treasure is the fourth largest Viking treasure found in England. Its value at that time is equivalent to a larger herd of cattle or sheep .

The treasure comprises 201 silver finds , which weigh a total of around one kilogram and were buried around the year 900 AD. The original owner is believed to be Vikings, who at that time fought against the Anglo-Saxons for control of northern England. The discovery of a Viking treasure in England is extremely rare and of national importance.

The treasure consists of ten bracelets, two rings, fragments of six chased brooches, a plaited ribbon and 141 pieces of hacked silver . There are also a number of different coins, among which are coins that were minted for Alwaldus, a nephew of King Alfred the Great , who defected to the Vikings, and a coin, for a previously unknown king. The name Airdeconut recorded on the coin is interpreted as the Anglo-Saxon translation of the Viking name Harthacnut . The coin is considered to be evidence of how quickly the Vikings established themselves in northern England.

The find was by a coroner in accordance with the Treasure Act 1996 officially became a "treasure" ( English treasure explains). The finder is not allowed to keep his find, but has to be offered for sale to a museum. The value of the fund has been set at £ 110,000 by the Treasure Valuation Committee . The Lancaster Museum made every effort to provide an appropriate amount so that the treasure can be exhibited in Lancaster . However, the Lancashire County Council managed to secure the required sum from various foundations and to purchase it. Now the treasure, after being on display at the Lancaster Museum from October 2013 to February 2014, is on permanent display in the Museum of Lancashire in Preston .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Silverdale Viking hoard: Treasure gets permanent home on BBC News , October 14, 2013, accessed October 15, 2013

Web links

Commons : Treasure of Silverdale  - Collection of images, videos and audio files