"A Viking Age hoard of six solid gold bracelets has been found on the Himmerland peninsula of northeastern Jutland, Denmark. The design of the bracelets identifies them as a Scandinavian type dating to the late Viking period, ca. 900-1000 A.D., but most of the known examples are silver. Gold ones are much more rare, and with a total weight of 762.5 grams, this is the third largest Viking gold find ever made in Denmark."
"The first two bracelets were discovered by accident by a local resident. They were peeking out of the soil by a field road in a wooded area near Rold. He submitted them to the archaeological department at the Museums of North Jutland for danef assessment, Denmark's version of treasure trove. (All archaeological objects of historical importance found in the soil are by Danish law state property and must be declared to the authorities.)"
"Recognizing the objects as rare gold bangles from the Viking period, archaeologists returned to the find site to investigate further. A metal detector scan of the wider area uncovered one more gold bangle in the same spot where the first two were found, and then three more of them about 50 feet away. Gold in the Viking Age was concentrated among the absolute elite of society, and that is precisely why finds of this type are extremely rare."
"The find includes gold bracelets with both twisted and smooth shapes, which together testify to a highly specialized goldsmith's craft, which also helps to make the find something quite special. Three of the rings are twisted from two rods, one of which has inlaid thin gold wire and a knob-shaped closure, while the others are smooth rings made of solid rod or wire."
Six solid gold bracelets were discovered on the Himmerland peninsula in northeastern Jutland, Denmark. Their Scandinavian design places them in the late Viking period, around 900–1000 A.D. Gold bracelets are rare compared with the more common silver examples, and the total weight of 762.5 grams makes the find the third largest Viking gold discovery in Denmark. Two bracelets were found accidentally by a local resident near Rold and submitted for danef assessment, after which archaeologists investigated the site. A metal detector survey identified one additional bracelet at the original spot and three more about 50 feet away. The hoard’s composition indicates elite status and specialized goldsmithing, including twisted and smooth forms with inlaid wire and distinctive closures.
Read at www.thehistoryblog.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]