Viking coin hoard found in Furness, Cumbria

A Viking treasure hoard of silver coins has been unearthed in the Furness countryside. The find is being billed as ‘the missing link’ by experts who say it is the long-awaited significant evidence of 9th and 10th Century AD material culture of the settlers upon the peninsula.

Furness bristles with place-names whose origins are Norse, for example Barrow, Yarlside, Roa and Ormsgill. prior to this discovery, coins and artefacts of varying antiquity have been discovered by metal detectorists and field-walkers in the recent past. In 2006 a solitary merchant’s weight, thought to be Viking or a little earlier, was found in farmland between Barrow and Dalton, which sparked local interest.

But this new discovery surpasses all previous Viking discoveries (designated as potential Treasure) for the region. It is the first time that such a significant amount of Viking numismatic material has been recovered from the Furness soil. This discovery indisputably links the area with the Norse mariners, and local history stands to be amended as a result. Previous Viking discoveries reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme in Cumbria, include the Cumwhitton burials (excavated in 2004 with help from English Heritage).

The Portable Antiquities Scheme

Popularity: 10% [?]

Tags: barrow, english heritage, portable antiquities scheme, silver coins, viking treasure hoard

Category: Featured, History & Archeology