Silver ingots and other artifacts from the Bedale HoardUniversity of Oxford
Posted on 08/17/2025 7:50:59 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
When the Bedale hoard was first discovered by metal detectorists in 2012, it was immediately recognized as one of the most significant assemblages of Viking-era silver objects and jewelry that had ever been found in England. Dating to the late ninth or early tenth century, the collection consists of 29 silver ingots and several elaborate neck rings, among other items. According to a statement released by the University of Oxford, a recent study of the origins of the Bedale silver is shedding new light on the international scope and far-reaching extent of Viking trade. Researchers led by Oxford archaeologist Jane Kershaw used lead isotope and trace element analyses to determine that the bulk of the silver came from western European sources -- not surprising, given that much of the Vikings' wealth was gained through raiding, looting, and ransom. However, the study also revealed that a portion of the silver originated as Islamic coinage from modern-day Iraq and Iran, and would have been acquired through broad commercial networks connecting northern Europe with the Islamic caliphate in the Middle East and Central Asia. This demonstrates the Vikings did not always rely on nefarious practices to amass their riches. "Most of us tend to think of the Vikings primarily as raiders, who looted monasteries and other wealthy places in search of wealth," Kershaw said. "What the analysis of the Bedale hoard shows is that that is only part of the picture." Read the original scholarly article about this research in Archaeometry. To read about another exceptional cache of objects from this period, go to "Secrets of Scotland's Viking Age Hoard."
(Excerpt) Read more at archaeology.org ...
The other GGG topics added since the previous digest ping, alpha:
Weekly digest topic and ping. The week's topics are (for the time being) just above.
from the FRchives:
I can bekieve pagans traded with pagans but what evidence says the objects were acquired through trade rather than booty?
These probably passed through at least one middleman. Like everyone, the Vikings liked high-status items. They probably were acquired by trade, perhaps in Constantinople, where Vikings were a somewhat familiar site during the Middle Ages (9th century onward). May have been bought in the markets there, may have been given as rewards for service to an Emperor.
There’s no evidence that these were taken as booty, but they could have been taken by one Viking from another after they picked it up somewhere. Obviously there’s no documentary evidence for the origin of the hoard, if there were, the hoard would have been looked for and recovered long ago.
Shows how advanced the civilizations in Europe were compared to those, say, in Asia. There is nothing of comparable sophistication from the same period in India or Japan, for example.
I believe Vikings traded captured Irish to Barbary and Cordoban Muslims as early as the 9th Century.
Absolutely nothing except preconceived opinions.
Aw, forget it.
If Vikings were involved, I don’t think you could classify it as ‘trade’.............
The Vikings were in fact fantastic traders. They carried out trade on a very large geographic scale.
“They were happy to give it to us, after we whipped the hell out of them in a war.” — Archie Bunker
This kinda validates the movie “The 13th Warrior”........
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_13th_Warrior
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.
