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"A hoard of medieval and Viking treasures including this golden pin,
which has lain buried for centuries in a Scottish churchyard" |
From the BBC:
"A haul of Viking treasure has been unearthed from a field in south west Scotland by an amateur using a metal detector.
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| Derek McLennan, Dumfriesshire in September |
Derek McLennan, a retired businessman from Ayrshire, made the find in Dumfriesshire in September. In total, more than 100 items were recovered, including armbands, a cross and brooches.
Experts have said the discovery is one of the most important Viking hoards ever found in Scotland. The items are believed to be worth a six-figure sum.
Mr McLennan last year uncovered Scotland's biggest haul of medieval silver coins.
Among the objects within the hoard is an early Christian cross thought to date from the 9th or 10th Century.
The solid silver cross has enameled decorations which experts consider to be highly unusual.
The haul also includes possibly the largest silver Carolingian pot ever discovered, with its lid still in place. The pot is likely to have been around 100 years old when the hoard was buried in the mid 9th or 10th Centuries.
Stuart Campbell, National Museum of Scotland's head of
Scotland's treasure trove unit, said: "This is a hugely significant
find, nothing like this has been found in Scotland before in terms of
the range of material this hoard represents.
"There's material from Ireland, from Scandinavia, from
various places in central Europe and perhaps ranging over a couple of
centuries.
"So this has taken some effort for individuals to collect together."
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| "The treasure hoard includes possibly the largest silver pot from the
Carolingian dynasty discovered and could be up to 1,200-years-old." |
Mr McLennan said he had dragged himself out of his sick bed
to pursue his passion for metal detecting on the day he found the Viking
treasure.
He had been given permission to search the site and after an
hour he found a silver object, at first he thought it was a spoon but
when he rubbed the surface he recognised the Viking decoration.
Further excavation unearthed more than a hundred items of
silver and gold including a bird pen, metal vessel, armbands, cross and
brooches. Experts say it's one of the most significant Viking hoards
ever found in Scotland.
He said: "I dragged myself out of my sick bed because I had two friends that wanted to detect and I'm a bit of an obsessive.
"I unearthed the first piece, initially I didn't understand
what I had found because I thought it was a silver spoon and then I
turned it over and wiped my thumb across it and I saw the Saltire-type
of design and knew instantly it was Viking.
"Then my senses exploded, I went into shock, endorphins
flooded my system and away I went stumbling towards my colleagues waving
it in the air."
Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External
Affairs said: "The Vikings were well known for having raided these
shores in the past, but today we can appreciate what they have left
behind, with this wonderful addition to Scotland's cultural heritage.
"It's clear that these artefacts are of great value in
themselves, but their greatest value will be in what they can contribute
to our understanding of life in early medieval Scotland, and what they
tell us about the interaction between the different peoples in these
islands at that time.
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| Among the objects within the hoard is an early Christian cross thought to date from the 9th or 10th century |
"The Dumfries hoard opens a fascinating window on a formative
period in the story of Scotland and just goes to show how important our
archaeological heritage in Scotland continues to be."
"As ever, the Scottish government will work to facilitate and
support the discovery, analysis and exhibiting of finds like this, for
the benefit of people here and abroad.
"With that in mind I would like to echo the praise for the
responsible behaviour of the metal detectorists: without their continued
cooperation this would not be possible."
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| "The oval shape of this gold ring suggests it had been worn" |
