Norwegian archaeologists have uncovered a significant Viking treasure buried more than 1,100 years ago in the southwest corner of the country. Four heavy silver bracelets were found hidden on a mountainside where a farm once existed.
“Since the silver treasure is located exactly where the Vikings buried it in the 9th century, it can give us completely new insight into life and society in the Viking Age,” said University of Stavanger archaeologist and project manager Volker Demuth, reflecting on the importance of the find.
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The discovery was made during a routine archaeological survey in Årdal, Hjelmeland municipality, ahead of the construction of a new tractor road by a local farmer. Field archaeologists Mari Krogstad Samuelsen and Ola Tengesdal Lygre were the first to spot the treasure, initially mistaking the silver for copper wires typically found in agricultural land.
“At first I thought it was a question of some twisted copper wires that you can often find in agricultural land, but when I saw that there were several lying next to each other and that they were not copper at all, but silver, I realized that we had found something exciting,” said Lygre.
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Evidence of a Viking Farm
Demuth explains that his team continued to explore the area where the bracelets were found. “The excavation shows that there was a large and powerful Viking farm here, consisting of several houses for both people and animals,” he said. “We have found remains of soapstone pots, rivets, knife blades and whetstones for sharpening tools. Here they have had full control of the entry into what is today Årdal.”
Field archaeologists Ola Tengesdal Lygre (left) and Theo Eli Gil Bell at the silver treasure. It was taken out as a block and transported to the museum for further analysis. Photo: Volker Demuth, Archaeological Museum, University of Stavanger
The silver treasure was found under the floor of a smaller house on the farm, believed to have been used by slaves. Although no other artefacts have been found in the immediate vicinity, the excavation is being expanded due to the significance of the find.
An Unmoved Treasure
Demuth emphasised how rare it is to find Viking objects exactly where they were buried, as most discoveries have been disturbed by plowing or other activities.
“This is a unique find, because we very rarely find such objects exactly where they were placed,” he explains. “As a rule, such valuable objects are discovered on fields that have been plowed, where an object has been completely taken out of its original context. Since the silver hoard has not been moved, it can give us completely new insights into life and society in the Viking Age.”
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The excavation has also revealed that the farm was likely burned down in th 9th century, a period of unrest in Norway. Archaeologists believe that the inhabitants may have fled during an attack, hastily hiding their valuables before escaping.
Drone photo of the excavation field in Årdal. The white box in the bottom right corner shows where the silver treasure was found. Photo: The Eli Gil Bell, Archaeological Museum, UiS
“If people who lived on this farm had to flee from an attack, it would be natural to hide away the valuables you had before escaping to the mountains. And perhaps in a place where you would not have thought that a treasure was hidden,” Demuth added.
Given that there were no silver mines in operation in Norway during this period, the silver likely originated from abroad, either through trade, as gifts, or as loot from Viking expeditions.
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Connections to Other Finds
The bracelets found bear a resemblance to silver necklaces unearthed in Hjelmeland in 1769. While archaeologists have yet to determine a definitive link between the two discoveries, they are not ruling out the possibility of a connection.
The silver hoard, still encased in the block of earth in which it was found, has been transported to the Archaeological Museum in Stavanger for further analysis. X-rays have already been taken, and soil samples will be examined to determine whether the bracelets were wrapped in cloth when buried.
The X-rays show that the four bracelets have different shapes and decorations. Now the conservators at the museum will take soil samples from the find, which can tell, among other things, whether the bangles were wrapped in a cloth when they were buried. Photo: Archaeological Museum, University of Stavanger
Museum director Ole Madsen praised the discovery, saying, “This is an absolutely fantastic find, which gives us completely unique knowledge about one of the most central eras in Norway, namely the Viking Age.”
Top Image: Photo by Volker Demuth, Archaeological Museum, University of Stavanger
Norwegian archaeologists have uncovered a significant Viking treasure buried more than 1,100 years ago in the southwest corner of the country. Four heavy silver bracelets were found hidden on a mountainside where a farm once existed.
“Since the silver treasure is located exactly where the Vikings buried it in the 9th century, it can give us completely new insight into life and society in the Viking Age,” said University of Stavanger archaeologist and project manager Volker Demuth, reflecting on the importance of the find.
The discovery was made during a routine archaeological survey in Årdal, Hjelmeland municipality, ahead of the construction of a new tractor road by a local farmer. Field archaeologists Mari Krogstad Samuelsen and Ola Tengesdal Lygre were the first to spot the treasure, initially mistaking the silver for copper wires typically found in agricultural land.
“At first I thought it was a question of some twisted copper wires that you can often find in agricultural land, but when I saw that there were several lying next to each other and that they were not copper at all, but silver, I realized that we had found something exciting,” said Lygre.
Evidence of a Viking Farm
Demuth explains that his team continued to explore the area where the bracelets were found. “The excavation shows that there was a large and powerful Viking farm here, consisting of several houses for both people and animals,” he said. “We have found remains of soapstone pots, rivets, knife blades and whetstones for sharpening tools. Here they have had full control of the entry into what is today Årdal.”
The silver treasure was found under the floor of a smaller house on the farm, believed to have been used by slaves. Although no other artefacts have been found in the immediate vicinity, the excavation is being expanded due to the significance of the find.
An Unmoved Treasure
Demuth emphasised how rare it is to find Viking objects exactly where they were buried, as most discoveries have been disturbed by plowing or other activities.
“This is a unique find, because we very rarely find such objects exactly where they were placed,” he explains. “As a rule, such valuable objects are discovered on fields that have been plowed, where an object has been completely taken out of its original context. Since the silver hoard has not been moved, it can give us completely new insights into life and society in the Viking Age.”
The excavation has also revealed that the farm was likely burned down in th 9th century, a period of unrest in Norway. Archaeologists believe that the inhabitants may have fled during an attack, hastily hiding their valuables before escaping.
“If people who lived on this farm had to flee from an attack, it would be natural to hide away the valuables you had before escaping to the mountains. And perhaps in a place where you would not have thought that a treasure was hidden,” Demuth added.
Given that there were no silver mines in operation in Norway during this period, the silver likely originated from abroad, either through trade, as gifts, or as loot from Viking expeditions.
Connections to Other Finds
The bracelets found bear a resemblance to silver necklaces unearthed in Hjelmeland in 1769. While archaeologists have yet to determine a definitive link between the two discoveries, they are not ruling out the possibility of a connection.
The silver hoard, still encased in the block of earth in which it was found, has been transported to the Archaeological Museum in Stavanger for further analysis. X-rays have already been taken, and soil samples will be examined to determine whether the bracelets were wrapped in cloth when buried.
Museum director Ole Madsen praised the discovery, saying, “This is an absolutely fantastic find, which gives us completely unique knowledge about one of the most central eras in Norway, namely the Viking Age.”
Top Image: Photo by Volker Demuth, Archaeological Museum, University of Stavanger
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