Two treasure hunters made the discovery in December 2003 and reported it in January
2004. According to Yorkshire Museum & Gardens, 16.02.2004, (www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk
), hoard of weapons and personal items has been found by metal detectorists.
The
staff at the museum wonder: is this the Viking find of the
century? It`s going to be
displayed for the first time at the Yorkshire Museum, York, during the city's
Viking Festival. The fascinating collection of items dates from the late 9th
Century AD, and includes silver coins, fragments of two swords, weights, a belt
buckle, strap ends and boat nails. It will be on display in York until the end
of February.
Who where the Vikings, also called Berserker(s):
Heimskringla
or The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway - The Ynglinga Saga, or The Story of the
Yngling Family from Odin to Halfdan the Black - By Snorri Sturlasson (c. 1179 -
1241): "Odin (the Viking chief)
could make his enemies in battle blind, or deaf, or terror-struck, and their
weapons so blunt that they could no more but than a willow wand; on the other
hand, his men rushed forwards without armour, were as mad as dogs or wolves, bit
their shields, and were strongas bears or wild bulls, and killed people at a
blow, but neither fire nor iron told upon themselves. These were called
Berserker".
Experts believe it might have come from a Viking boat burial, a ceremony
where people were buried in a boat with a group of possessions to take with them
to the after-life. Archaeologist Simon Holmes, finds liaison officer for the
Portable Antiquities Scheme at the Yorkshire Museum, identified the items and
said a full archaeological excavation of the area where they were found would
determine whether they had come from a boat burial. It might be the
first Viking boat burial discovered in England and therefore one of the most
important Viking discoveries ever made in the British Isles.
After going on show at the Yorkshire Museum, the items will go to the British
Museum for further study. Because the hoard contains some silver, it qualifies
as "treasure" under the Treasure Act 1996.
Stein Morten Lund, 18 February 2004
Additional information
Read more about the discovery and
displaying on the Yorkshire Museum & Gardens: www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk
Meet the Vikings at Yorkshire Museum & Gardens: the Vikings will be
invading the Yorkshire Museum in York this half term holiday for a fun week of
family activities, inspired by the museum's stunning collections of Viking
artefacts. Come and meet Thorgrim, our friendly Viking hunter, for stories of
old Jorvik and hear tales of war, survival and family life from the time of the
Vikings.
Or join the Yorkshire Museum & Gardensaward-winning team
from York Art Gallery to create some Viking art. Children will be able to help
decorate a Viking boat and make a huge patchwork sail, design their own shields
and swords and make jewellery and badges using Viking art themes of animal heads
and dragons. Take the opportunity to handle real Viking objects, including an
array of objects from domestic life. And join our experienced guides and see
some of Europe's greatest finds from the Anglo-Saxon and Viking era, including
the Gilling sword, Ormside bowl and York Helmet.
The Yorkshire Museum is
built on the ancient site of Earlsburgh, believed to have been a base for Viking
earls outside the city walls of Jorvik. Earl Siward, one of the rulers of
Anglo-Scandinavian York, is buried in the nearby St Olave's Church (founded by
Siward in memory of the Norweigan King, Saint Olaf) and it is likely his home
was on the Museum Gardens site.
Activities will be running every day, from 10am until 4pm, from 14 February
until 22 February 2004.
Address:
Yorkshire Museum & Gardens, York,
England.
It`s located next to Lendal Bridge,
the main crossing between the York Station and York Minster. The
entrances are on Museum Street and Marygate.
and discover a land pillaged by Vikings.
E-mail this
Print this
