The Galloway Hoard, currently held in the National Museum of Scotland, is a hoard of more than 100 gold, silver, glass, crystal, stone, and earthen objects from the Viking Age discovered in the historical county of Kirkcudbrightshire in Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland in September 2014. Found on Church of Scotland land, the hoard has been described by experts as "one of the most significant Viking hoards ever found in Scotland".[1] With years of extensive study and research, scholars are still not certain who buried the hoard, why they did so and whether they were Vikings or Anglo-Saxons.[2] During the Viking Age, Galloway found itself squeezed between two Viking kingdoms and essentially cut off from other Anglo-Saxons in Britain - "Galloway is where these different cultures were meeting. It’s not just Scandinavians, but people from Britain and Ireland as well."[3]
The Galloway Hoard was discovered by a metal detector enthusiast who reported the find to the authorities. A county archaeologist carried out an excavation which unearthed a rich and unusually varied collection of objects from the Viking Age, though some of the objects considerably pre-date that period. It is thought that the hoard was buried some time in the mid-ninth or tenth century; it is not known why it was buried.
Large disc brooch consisting of two discs riveted together, the decorative front disc pierced silver, the back disc copper alloy with possible gilt surface on one side, visible through the pierced upper disc
The hoard consists of objects including armbands, a Christian cross, brooches, ingots, glass beads, a gold-encased touchstone and dirt-balls containing flecks of gold and bone, all in a silver vessel. These include the largest and most varied collection of Viking-age gold objects yet found in Britain and Ireland.[4] The silver vessel was previously believed to be Carolingian in origin, however recent research revealed Zoroastrian symbols across its surface indicating that it was likely made in Central Asia.[5] The items among the treasure originated across a wide geographic area that includes Anglo-Saxon England, Ireland, and Scandinavia. The hoard has some similarities with other Viking finds, but its mixture of materials including the textiles which were wrapped around the vessel has been described by experts as unique.[6]
Curators at the National Museum of Scotland describe the Galloway Hoard as "pointing to a new understanding of Scotland in the international context of the earliest Viking Age".[4] According to Stuart Campbell of the National Museum of Scotland, "This is a hugely significant find, nothing like this has been found in Scotland before in terms of the range of material this hoard represents."[1] He comments that "due to the quantity and variety of the objects, and the importance of the find overall, it will take some time for experts to assess the hoard as a whole so that we can appreciate its true significance. We look forward to learning more."[7] Ongoing research has utilised new technologies, including 3D modelling, CT scans, and X-ray imaging, to reveal previously unseen details on the hoard's objects, especially relating to the vessel's surface decorations.[5]
^ ab"Viking treasure haul unearthed in Scotland". BBC News. 12 October 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
^Urbanus, Jason (May–June 2022). "Secrets of Scotland's Viking Age Hoard". Archaeology. pg 23: archaeology magazine. Retrieved 31 May 2022.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
^Urbanus, pg 25
^ abHistory, Scottish; Archaeology. "The Galloway Hoard". National Museums Scotland. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
^ abHistory, Scottish; read, Archaeology 5 min. "The Galloway Hoard vessel". National Museums Scotland. Retrieved 21 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^Ross, Shan (13 October 2014). "Viking treasure hoard found in Scotland". The Scotsman. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
^Cite error: The named reference Herald12-10-2014 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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Church Artifacts and culture Birlinn Chronicles of Mann Darraðarljóð GallowayHoard Hogbacks Lewis chessmen Manx runestones Orkneyinga saga Ounceland Sen...
Church Artifacts and culture Birlinn Chronicles of Mann Darraðarljóð GallowayHoard Hogbacks Lewis chessmen Manx runestones Orkneyinga saga Ounceland Sen...
both hoards that were buried with the intention of retrieval at a later date (personal hoards, founder's hoards, merchant's hoards, and hoards of loot)...
Church Artifacts and culture Birlinn Chronicles of Mann Darraðarljóð GallowayHoard Hogbacks Lewis chessmen Manx runestones Orkneyinga saga Ounceland Sen...
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Church Artifacts and culture Birlinn Chronicles of Mann Darraðarljóð GallowayHoard Hogbacks Lewis chessmen Manx runestones Orkneyinga saga Ounceland Sen...
both hoards that were buried with the intention of retrieval at a later date (personal hoards, founder's hoards, merchant's hoards, and hoards of loot)...
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Church Artifacts and culture Birlinn Chronicles of Mann Darraðarljóð GallowayHoard Hogbacks Lewis chessmen Manx runestones Orkneyinga saga Ounceland Sen...
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