Posted on 09/15/2007 9:57:04 AM PDT by blam
Rain uncovers Viking treasure trove
Published: 14th September 2007 08:30 CET
A bout of torrential rain left a surprising legacy in the garden of one Swede: a Viking treasure trove.
Two coins were uncovered by the rain on the lawn of farmer Tage Pettersson, on the island of Gotland, in early August. He called in Gotland's archaeologists, who last week found a further 52 coins on the site.
Most of the coins are German, English and Arabic currency from the late 900s and early 1000s. But archaeologists are most excited about the presence of six very rare Swedish coins, from the reign of Olof Skötkonug, king of Sweden from 994-1022.
One of the Swedish coins has never been found in Sweden before, although an example has been found in Poland. One of the other coins is only the second of its kind to have been found.
Archaeologist Dan Carlsson told Svenska Dagbladet that the coins were "very well preserved, and come from a period about which we know little in terms of coin history."
The English coins are likely to have been paid to the Vikings as an incitement to let them live in peace, he said.
Gotland is one of the richest sources anywhere of buried Viking treasure. Discoveries of coins and other treasure are made on a regular basis.
GGG Ping.
Makes you wonder if the Swedish govt will seize the find or let the folks who found it keep it?
I find that very strange.
I would be interested to know why that is.
Were all of the coins of that period destroyed by later kings?
Were all of the coins of that period carried off by foreign conquerors?
WOW!
Wish this would happen to us!
So, tourists can plan their vacations to be there on a day that a discovery will be made? Sort of like knowing when Old Faithful will erupt.
As traders wo traveled for years at a time, the tendency would be for older coins to leave and newer coins to be used domestically.
If the coins were mainly gold and silver, all the more so as they were the universal coin of trade for centuries.
Rape and pillage ping!
“The English coins are likely to have been paid to the Vikings as an incitement to let them live in peace”
Never a good idea....
It'll happen, just give it a thousand years or so.
I've heard of Dane geld, but I'm not familiar with Swede geld!
AARRGHH! Did dey find me Super Bowl trophy among thee booty?
Ahhh, yes, Danegeld, it didn't work then and it doesn't work now.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danegeld
Yes it did didn’t it. Tell you what, if I find something on my property to hell with the government. I may pay taxes on my sale, but that’s as far as it goes.
Yes it did didn’t it. Tell you what, if I find something on my property to hell with the government. I may pay taxes on my sale, but that’s as far as it goes.
Actually, there would be no need to pay taxes. If you purchase the property, you own the good. To hell with the goverment.
It's hilarious sometimes how archaeologists are completely unable to keep from projecting their own leftist values onto ancient people. How much time did people scared for their next meal have for developing the values of leftist resentment? More likely rape and pillage was involved.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.