The finds were made near the Viking fortress Fyrkat, which the legendary Danish ruler Harald Bluetooth erected in the late 10th century.
Two Viking treasures comprise several hundred coins and other valuables and were found in a field near Hobro in the northern part of the Jutland Peninsula in Denmark.
The haul can be traced back to the 10th century, when legendary ruler Harald Bluetooth built the Viking fortress Fyrkat.
The treasures were unearthed halfway between Hobro and the the fortress. The items from the troves had been scattered over a larger area because of modern agriculture.
All in all, approximately 300 items ranging from coins to jewelry have been found, exceeding the archeologists’ brightest hopes. The coins were mostly Danish, German and Arabic, reflecting the scope of Viking exploits. Dozens of the coins are well-preserved but others have been cut to smaller pieces, as Vikings used silver as a means of payment.
Some of the coins are marked with a cross, indicating that Harald Bluetooth tried to spread Christianity among his population.
“There are things from this find that I have never seen before and that have never been found in Denmark before,” inspector Torben Trier Christiansen of North Jutland Museum told Danish media. “It is an absolutely fantastic find. That’s always the case when you find treasures from the Viking Age, but this treasure is very special because it contains some special pieces, and in a place we haven’t been before.”
Although the excavations were carried out by archeologists from North Jutland Museum, the initial finds were made by local amateurs who this winter managed to unearth a piece of silver, a half-dirham and a part of a silver clasp, which suggested a bigger stash buried nearby.
Since the treasure was found only eight kilometers from Fyrkat, Christiansen said that the trove is “obviously” connected with the castle. The archeologist believes there is no doubt that those who made the trove were subject to the castle and Harald Bluetooth, and is looking forward into delving into that part of the story. North Jutland Museum has already received a grant for further investigations as more signs of habitations were found.
Christiansen said he was even hopeful that he might find the remains of a large Viking hall.
Harald Bluetooth ruled Denmark in the second half of the 10th century and is hailed for introducing Christianity to his subjects. He was known as for his prowess both in battle and statesmanship, undertaking numerous successful raids abroad and subjugating Norway. The traditional explanation for his nickname, (which inspired the modern-day wireless technology) is that Harald had a conspicuous rotten tooth that appeared to be “blue” to his companions.