A record-breaking Viking silver hoard has been discovered in a private garden in Denmark, reports infohub.kz.
A resident of Rebild municipality in the North Jutland region stumbled upon the largest treasure trove of the 10th century in the country's history while landscaping his garden. While clearing the area, the homeowner struck a clay vessel with his shovel, from which he extracted numerous silver items.
The total weight of the silver found is about 18.5 kilograms, nearly three times the weight of the previous Danish record, the Terslev Hoard, which weighed 6.5 kilograms. The treasure consists of approximately 700 items, some of which were inside an intact ceramic vessel, while others were scattered in the soil.
The collection includes silver ingots, bracelets, 47 whole coins and fragments, pieces of precious metal, and a miniature amulet shaped like Thor's hammer. Of particular interest to researchers is a silver ingot with a runic inscription reading "hutu," which may be a personal name or an owner's mark.
Analysis of Arabic dirhams and Anglo-Saxon pennies minted during the reign of King Edward the Elder indicates that the hoard was buried in the 10th century. The artifacts confirm the Vikings' extensive trade connections with the Islamic world and England.
Archaeologist and head of the cultural heritage department at the Nordjyske Museer museum, Torben Sarauw, noted that the find demonstrates the financial system of the time, where silver was used as currency by weight.
Under Danish law, the hoard has been declared national treasure (Danefæ) and will be handed over to the National Museum for study, after which it is planned to be exhibited at the Fyrkat Viking museum. The finder will receive a monetary reward from the state.