A treasure consisting of ancient silver coins and jewelry was discovered by a young girl in a cornfield using a metal detector.
Nearly 300 silver coins, believed to be over 1,000 years old, were found near the Viking fortress Fyrkat in Northwestern Denmark.
Over 1,000-year-old silver coins. (Source: AFP)
According to an announcement on April 20 from the North Jutland Museum in Denmark, the rare ancient treasure was unearthed by a young girl who stumbled upon it while metal detecting in a cornfield last autumn.
This treasure includes Danish, Arab, and German coins along with some jewelry likely originating from Scotland or Ireland.
From the engravings on the coins, archaeologists estimate they date back to the 980s.
Lars Christian Norbach, the director of the North Jutland Museum—where the artifacts will be displayed—stated that it is very rare to find treasures of this nature.
The artifacts are contemporaneous with the fortress built by King Harald Bluetooth and will provide further insights into Viking history.
“The treasures themselves reveal an incredible story, but the fact that they were buried just 8 kilometers from the ancient Fyrkat fortress of King Harald Bluetooth is particularly fascinating,” added Torben Trier Christiansen, the archaeologist and museum curator.
According to him, there is likely a connection between this treasure, buried by the Vikings during a time of warfare, and the fortress that was burned down around the same period.
Archaeologists note that earlier coins from King Harald did not feature a cross, suggesting he may have used cross-marked coins as a means of promoting Christianity in Denmark.
Researchers have indicated they will continue excavations next autumn after the harvest, hoping to discover burial sites and homes of the individuals who once owned these treasures.
They believe the Vikings thought that burying their wealth would allow them to reclaim it after death.
The newly discovered artifacts will be publicly exhibited starting in July at the North Jutland Museum. Meanwhile, the girl who discovered them will receive a reward commensurate with her contribution.
