Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – The discovery of a significant Viking Age silver treasure with connections to Russia, Ukraine, and the British Isles has been made by a student of archaeology from Aarhus University. This finding serves to reinforce Aarhus’ status as an international center during the Viking Age.
In the spring of this year, Gustav Bruunsgaard, a 22-year-old archaeology student, made a noteworthy discovery while engaging in metal detection activities at Elsted, north of Aarhus, Denmark. Upon receiving a strong signal from his detector, he excavated the area with a small shovel he had brought, subsequently unearthing a silver bangle. Upon returning to the site several days later, he discovered six more bangles.
Credit: Moesgaard Museum
The silver hoard has been evaluated by both Danish and international experts, who have determined its origin to be from the Viking Age. Silver was utilized as a measure of value during this period, and the seven bracelets discovered by Gustav have a combined weight exceeding half a kilogram. These bracelets adhered to a standardized weight system, facilitating the determination of individual ring values. They served a dual purpose as currency and demonstrated the owner’s wealth.
Archaeological experts have estimated that the rings represent considerable value. They date them to the 9th century, corresponding to the early Viking Age, shortly after establishing the Viking Age in Aarhus (Aros). It is believed that the rings were manufactured in Southern Scandinavia, with Denmark being the likely place of origin.
One of the rings, coiled in design, is of a type originally from Russia or Ukraine, subsequently replicated in Nordic countries. The three band-shaped, stamped rings are of South Scandinavian origin and have inspired similar bangles in Ireland, where they became prevalent. While uncommon, the remaining three smooth bangles are known to exist in Scandinavia and England.
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“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,” says Kasper H. Andersen, Ph.D. and historian at Moesgaard Museum where the silver treasure can be seen.
Written by Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com Staff Writer
