Archaeological jackpot in Norway: massive Viking hoard discovered
Over 3,000 silver coins from various parts of Europe, all from the Nording Viking era, has been unearthed.
A major discovery has been made in Norway, reports Verdens Gang. Individuals equipped with metal detectors have found a massive Viking treasure trove consisting of over 3,000 silver coins (and they're not done yet). They are believed to date from the period between 1040 and 1050 and originate from several regions, with Denmark, England, Germany, and, of course, Norway specifically mentioned.
The coins are said to be very well-preserved, making it possible to identify who minted them, including the iconic Viking king Harald Hardrada and Cnut the Great. Tom Svellet, chair of the culture committee at the Innlandet County Council, is naturally very pleased and says in an official statement:
"It is absolutely fantastic that Norway's largest coin hoard from the Viking Age has been found here in Innlandet."
The coins are believed to have been stored in some kind of vessel, which, however, has disintegrated over the roughly 1,000 years the cache has been buried, and they were lying in a field, resulting in the coins being scattered over a large area due to ploughing. Archaeologists are now examining and collecting everything, and hopefully we'll get to see the treasure at a Norwegian museum in a not-too-distant future.
