Video Dozens of Perfectly Preserved Viking Skeletons Found in Denmark
Fifty skeletons dating back to the ninth and 10th centuries have been unearthed in excavations in Osuma, Denmark, west of Copenhagen, according to the Odense Museum. (Source: Reuters)
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Researchers recently found a hoard of medieval treasure on the shores of a bay in northern Germany using a metal detector.
The State Archaeological Department of Schleswig-Holstein (ALSH) announced the discovery in a press release at the end of May.
The hoard, which is about 1,000 years old, was found on the coast of the Schlei, a bay in the Baltic Sea. Officials noted that the area is located near the “formerly important Viking trading post of Haithabu.”
The treasure was originally discovered by metal detectorist Arjen Spiesswinkel, who reported his find to ALSH.
“A targeted re-search involving additional experts has narrowed the range of possible locations,” ALSH said in a statement.
German authorities recently announced the discovery of hundreds of Viking artefacts in a hoard near Schlei, a bay in the Baltic Sea. (Archäologische Landesamt Schleswig-Holstein (ALSH))
“As a result of systematic excavations carried out by ALSH in collaboration with volunteers, artefacts were discovered.”
Photos show volunteers digging intently in search of a treasure trove of more than 200 items.
“The hoard includes approximately 200 items, mainly silver, chopped silver, fragments of Arabic coins (dirhams), ingots and jewellery,” the statement said.
Officials used metal detectors to find around 200 Viking-related items. (Archaeological Office of Schleswig-Holstein (ALSH))
Officials added: “Of particular interest is the delicate cross, an early indication of the beginnings of Christianisation in the region.”
“Of particular note is the delicate cross, an early indication of the beginning of Christianization in the region.”
ALSH also highlighted that hoard finds most often consist of “buried or submerged objects that were either hidden for protection from others or left as offerings.”
The cross was decorated with numerous stamped dots and is “early evidence of the beginning of Christianization in the area,” officials said. (Archaeological Office of Schleswig-Holstein (ALSH))
The excavations also yielded a ceramic shard and a whetstone, which experts say could indicate “a possible previously unknown settlement.”
“The findings offer exciting insights into the history of the 10th century, a time of trade, cultural exchange and religious transformation,” the statement said.
The Viking Age lasted from approximately 800 to 1050 AD, meaning the hoard dates from a later period of that era.
The ancient finds include 200 silver artefacts, Arabic coins and a pendant cross dating back 1,000 years to the Viking Age. (Archaeological Survey of Schleswig-Holstein (ALSH))
The discovery comes amid a raft of recent Viking Age finds discovered across Europe.
In Sweden, authorities recently reported the discovery of a grave on the outskirts of Linköping.
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