Metal detectorist to receive£2m reward for Britain's biggest Viking hoard

DeepseekerADS

Gold Member
Mar 3, 2013
14,880
21,725
SW, VA - Bull Mountain
Detector(s) used
CTX, Excal II, EQ800, Fisher 1260X, Tesoro Royal Sabre, Tejon, Garrett ADSIII, Carrot, Stealth 920iX, Keene A52
Primary Interest:
Other
Metal detectorist to receive £2m reward for Britain's biggest Viking hoard

128465995-vikingnms-NEWS-xlarge_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BquhyDthBbw6t1By5vXRVHywFu5hQXDJtV0pA0sCZay6U.jpg
Part of the Galloway Hoard Credit: National Museums of Scotland

Auslan Cramb, Scottish Correspondent

12 May 2017 • 5:25pm

A metal detectorist who found Britain’s biggest Viking treasure hoard is set to receive a reward of nearly £2 million.

Derek McLennan, 50, a retired businessman, found the remarkable 10th century artefacts in a field on church land in the south west of Scotland in 2014.

The haul included silver bracelets, brooches and ingots, a gold ring, an enamelled Christian cross and a bird-shaped gold pin.

He has since complained about the time taken to make a decision on what should happen to the treasure, but has now learned that he stands to receive £1,982,200.

Sharon McKee, Mr McLennan’s partner, who is also involved in his treasure hunting, wrote on Facebook that that they felt “honoured and feel privileged to have saved this internationally significant treasure”.

She added: “We look forward to the many exciting discoveries that will be further revealed. We cannot wait for its eventual display in Scotland's National Museum.”

The decision was announced by the Crown’s Treasure Trove Unit, which described the find as the most significant treasure trove discovery in over 100 years.

39413670-derekcrosspa-NEWS-xlarge_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqtM3ZXxV42fQENILgObxjOFzt7SZsQQ7h3oKyATfgi0w.jpg
Derek McLennan with part of his Viking hoard Credit: PA

David Harvie, the Queen's and Lord Treasurer’s Rembrancer, said around 100 items would be allocated to the National Museums of Scotland, provided they could make the payment to the finder.

There were competing claims to have the hoard housed in a special museum in Galloway to recognise its discovery on land near Kirkcudbright.

Rules on discoveries in Scotland mean only the finder receives payment, whereas in the rest of the UK awards are split with the landowner.

Mr Harvie said: “This Viking hoard is one of the most important finds ever discovered in Scotland and is of international significance.



“I am pleased to announce that I am minded to accept the recommendation of the Scottish Archaeological Finds Allocation Panel (SAFAP) that these wonderful items be allocated to National Museums Scotland, subject to it meeting the ex gratia award which would then be payable to the finder.”

The Galloway Hoard is made up of more than 110 artefacts, including a silver Carolingian lidded tpot was packed with precious objects.

128465983-vikingnms2-NEWS-large_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqY1vlWu6X4ClJ13DpyYGHanCugcTyzyB-SXuPVffSvBI.jpg
Dr Martin Goldberg, senior curator at the National Museums of Scotland, with an object from the Galloway Hoard Credit: National Museums of Scotland

The National Museums of Scotland said the hoard brought together the richest collection of rare and unique Viking-age objects ever found in Britain or Ireland, and would “transform our understanding of this period of Scottish history”.

Gordon Rintoul, director of the museums, said it now had six months to raise the £1.98 million needed to acquire the treasure.

Mr McLennan, from Hollybush, Ayrshire, was in the company of two ministers, who are also detectorists, when the find was made.

The Rev Dr David Bartholomew, a Church of Scotland minister in rural Galloway, later recalled: “We were searching elsewhere when Derek initially thought he’d discovered a Viking gaming piece. A short time later he ran over to us waving a silver arm-ring and shouting ‘Viking’.

“It was tremendously exciting, especially when we noticed the silver cross lying face-downwards. It was poking out from under the pile of silver ingots and decorated arm-rings, with a finely wound silver chain still attached to it. It was a heart-stopping moment.”

Dumfries and Galloway Council had hoped to make the hoard a major attraction at an art gallery being built in Kirkcudbright.
 

OP
OP
DeepseekerADS

DeepseekerADS

Gold Member
Mar 3, 2013
14,880
21,725
SW, VA - Bull Mountain
Detector(s) used
CTX, Excal II, EQ800, Fisher 1260X, Tesoro Royal Sabre, Tejon, Garrett ADSIII, Carrot, Stealth 920iX, Keene A52
Primary Interest:
Other
Viewing the video now.

They're putting the grass plugs in the hole with the grass down and dirt up.

What's up with that?
 

Last edited:

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top