VIKING SILVER INGOT

mattdiver · Jan 26, 2013

I originally found 10 pieces of a Viking hack silver hoard 15 years ago.This includes 3 silver arabic dirham coins 2 halves of silver torc and some hacked bracelet and ingots. My initial find was a silver Dirham and then a half of silver arm torc which were about 10 metres apart. At the time the field had not been ploughed in years. By chance the farmer ploughed the field that same year and I found more items of silver. I reported the find adhering to the rules of the Treasure Act. The site was surveyed then by local archaeologist group using geophysics and some test trenches were dug. No more silver was found. I have worked this field every year since original find 15 years ago trying not to give up hope .I kept finding modern items but no viking silver until now... In November the field had just been ploughed again. I gave it a go and found the silver ingot in the same area I found original find . It weighs 25.6 gram .It was only 1 inch in soil .I got smaller piece of silver 1 metre away also. I couldn't believe it .After all this time. I knew there was more to find .The plough has brought it from sub soil .The field belongs to new landowner now who bought it few years ago .He is over the moon with find and potential for more .He is a big landowner and now has given me permission for his entire estate. The find has been reported and is in the British Museum being analysed. I have tried hoard hunter on site . No joy.Will ask farmer to take some top soil of the area. The 10 original finds are in local museum. IT was dated to about 912 AD due to date of last coin.Earliest coin was 898 AD Will keep hunting. Never give up on good sites!