‘Spectacular’ Viking Silver Treasure Linked to Russia, Ukraine, British Isles Found by Archaeology Student in Denmark
The Early Viking Age silver treasure of seven bracelets or bangles by an archaeology student near Elsted, Aarchus region, in Denmark. Photo by Moesgaard Museum in Højbjerg
A remarkable Viking treasure of silver jewelry from the 9th century AD has been discovered by chance by an archaeology student in Denmark, with the finds indicating the Vikings’ connections to Russia, Ukraine, Britain, and Ireland, according to scholars.
Gustav Bruunsgaard, an archaeology student and avid metal detectorist from Aarhus University, stumbled upon this “silver treasure,” described as “spectacular” by the Moesgaard Museum, while scanning farmland near Elsted, a northern town near Aarhus, Denmark’s second-largest city.
His initial discovery was a single silver bangle, unearthed after his metal detector signaled its presence, Live Science reports.
Compelled to explore further, Bruunsgaard returned to this site—a known Viking Age settlement—days later and uncovered six additional bracelets.
The newly found silver Viking Age jewelry also served as currency during that era.
Following this significant find, Bruunsgaard promptly alerted the relevant authorities.
Experts, analyzing the items, have dated them back to the 800s, placing them squarely within the early Viking Age (793 to 1066 AD) of Scandinavia.
Kasper Andersen, a historian at Moesgaard Museum in Højbjerg, highlighted the broader implications of the find in a statement.
“The Elsted farm treasure is a fantastically interesting find from the Viking Age, which connects Aarhus with Russia and Ukraine in the east and the British Isles in the west. In this way, the find emphasizes how Aarhus was a central hub in the Viking world, which went all the way from the North Atlantic to Asia,” Andersen send.
The unearthed bracelets were identified as hacksilver, a prevalent form of currency during the Viking Age, allowing for both payment and transaction by being “adapted to a common weight system” and demonstrating “the owner’s financial ability.”
This type of monetary system was integral to trade and economic interactions during that period.
The museum provided insights into the origins and styles of the arm rings.
One of the armbands, a “coiled ring,” is of a style that originated in Viking settlements now part of modern Russia and Ukraine, and this style was subsequently imitated throughout the Nordic region.
Three of the armlets reflect a design commonly found in southern Scandinavia, likely Denmark, during that era, while the remaining three “band-shaped, stamped rings”, which are unadorned and described as “rare,” are thought to have originated from Scandinavia, England, and Ireland.
These discoveries not only illuminate the extensive reach and influence of Viking culture but also reaffirm Aarhus’s historical significance as a strategic and cultural hub during the Viking Age, the report points out.
Weighing over 500 grams in total, these arm rings were more than mere decorative items; they were a significant part of the Viking economic system.
The museum noted that silver served as the primary measure of value during the Viking Age, facilitating transactions and reflecting the owner’s financial ability, AP reports, cited by NBC News.
The Moesgaard Museum, renowned for housing the well-preserved Iron Age Grauballe Man, continues to contribute to our understanding of past civilizations.
The Grauballe Man, discovered in 1952 in a Danish bog, remains one of the most significant archaeological finds in the region, with preserved details such as fingernails, toenails, and hair, evidencing a violent death some 2,000 years ago.
***
DID YOU KNOW that there is now an entire ancient nation made up of archaeologists?
It exists against all odds in “The Mudbrick Swamp,” a fantasy book by Ivan Dikov – Volume 1 of the “Rodiniya’s Reason” fantasy series!
BUY ‘THE MUDBRICK SWAMP,’ Book 1, Volume 1, of the RODINIYA’S REASON fantasy series HERE!
