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Rare Viking ingot found[UK]
Luton Today ^ | 23 Sep 2008 | Paul Fisher

Posted on 09/25/2008 7:42:12 AM PDT by BGHater

An ancient solid silver ingot found in Stagsden is stealing the limelight at Bedford Museum.

The Viking coin is the first of its kind discovered in the county and dates from AD 850-1000.

It was found by treasure hunters in the north Bedfordshire village last year, but has only just been bought by the museum following lengthy examination and valuation at the British Museum in London.

Jim Inglis, keeper of archaeology at Bedford Museum, said: "This is the only one to be found in Bedfordshire, and in terms of looking for Viking material in Bedford, which used to be a Viking town, it is very, very rare.

"We do not get Viking material very often and definitely not in precious metal. It was the raw material for making Viking jewellery and they also used it as a currency."

In the early medieval period the weight of the metal was all important.

This ingot is 45mms long, weighs 20 grams, about the same as 18 pennies, and was enough to buy two cows, a significant purchase at the time.

The Vikings first came to Bedfordshire in the ninth century, and archaeologists believe this ingot may have been lost before AD 915, when the area around Bedford was recaptured by the Saxon kingdom based in Wessex.

Mr Inglis added: "This is a significant find and would have been valuable at the time. Today we are used to silver, but then it was rare and precious.

"The ingot was found last year by a member of the public with a metal detector, but it takes time under the Treasure Act to be valued."

Because the ingot is more than 300 years old, and is made from a precious metal, it qualifies as treasure.

The 1996 Treasure Act requires anyone who finds a gold or silver object of this age to report it to their local coroner and deposit it with their local museum, archaeological officer or finds liaison officer.

Treasure then goes to the British Museum for valuation. A museum is then able to buy the treasure, with the money being shared between the finder and the owner of the land where it was found.

The ingot is on show next to the precious few other Viking finds from the county, including grave goods from a burial in Harrold, a brooch from Felmersham and items from a homestead in Willington.

For more information about the ingot visit www.bedfordmuseum.org



TOPICS: Miscellaneous; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: godsgravesglyphs; ingot; silver; uk; viking

1 posted on 09/25/2008 7:42:13 AM PDT by BGHater
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To: SunkenCiv
Ping

With all the Database gerbils dunno if already posted.

2 posted on 09/25/2008 7:43:26 AM PDT by BGHater (Democracy is the road to socialism.)
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To: BGHater

Looks like it was left by a Viking Kitty.


3 posted on 09/25/2008 7:46:22 AM PDT by stayathomemom ( nowanemptynester)
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To: BGHater

Silly man - that’s a suppository!


4 posted on 09/25/2008 7:47:25 AM PDT by reagan_fanatic ("And how can this be? For I am the Kwisatz Haderach! " - Barack Obama)
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To: stayathomemom

lol, very nice


5 posted on 09/25/2008 7:48:55 AM PDT by babble-on
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To: stayathomemom
Looks like it was left by a Viking Kitty.

Okay, you just made my day. Thank you. :-)

6 posted on 09/25/2008 7:51:52 AM PDT by Gondring (I'll give up my right to die when hell freezes over my dead body!)
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To: BGHater

What, they haven’t found the ones in Minnesota and NY yet? Where do you think the Indians came up with the idea of long houses? (Rhet.)


7 posted on 09/25/2008 7:52:38 AM PDT by Bringbackthedraft (OBAMA is a Lawyer, not an economist or a diplomat. Experienced??? Duhh!!)
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To: BGHater
http://www.kryptonitekollectibles.com/images/cat/vikings_logo_small.gif

If it was from that kinda Viking, we know how he died...he choked.

8 posted on 09/25/2008 7:53:27 AM PDT by Gondring (I'll give up my right to die when hell freezes over my dead body!)
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To: reagan_fanatic
Silly man - that’s a suppository!

Wow, those Vikings really were tough.

9 posted on 09/25/2008 7:53:42 AM PDT by andy58-in-nh (Somewhere in Illinois, a community is missing its organizer.)
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To: BGHater
Silver today is about $13.9/troy oz so according to my arithmetic that amount of silver today is

13.9/oz*1oz/31.8gm*20gm = $8.88

Silver has not held it's value very well.

10 posted on 09/25/2008 7:55:17 AM PDT by DManA
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To: BGHater

11 posted on 09/25/2008 8:07:23 AM PDT by Khepri (Georgia is a Soros operation.)
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To: BGHater

I’ll take a registered black Angus bull and cow, thank you.


12 posted on 09/25/2008 8:09:08 AM PDT by itsthejourney (Sarah-cuda IS the right reason)
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To: BGHater; StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; ...

· join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic ·

 
Gods
Graves
Glyphs
Thanks BGHater.
The Vikings first came to Bedfordshire in the ninth century, and archaeologists believe this ingot may have been lost before AD 915, when the area around Bedford was recaptured by the Saxon kingdom based in Wessex.
My ancestors came from there.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.
GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
 

· Google · Archaeologica · ArchaeoBlog · Archaeology magazine · Biblical Archaeology Society ·
· Mirabilis · Texas AM Anthropology News · Yahoo Anthro & Archaeo ·
· History or Science & Nature Podcasts · Excerpt, or Link only? · cgk's list of ping lists ·


13 posted on 09/25/2008 12:30:28 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______Profile hasn't been updated since Friday, May 30, 2008)
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To: SunkenCiv

If your ancestors came from there, and my ancestors came from there, does that mean we are guilty of ancest?
*choke*

(Sorry. Erase it if it’s offensive.)

*snort*


14 posted on 09/25/2008 12:34:40 PM PDT by Monkey Face (I tripped over a worm and a canary kicked me for getting fresh with the breeze.)
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To: Monkey Face
I too thought it was funny, but then, we're from the same demographic.

Hey, if I expressed offense over that, I'd have to give myself one of these:

Go buy yourself a sense of humor!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

15 posted on 09/25/2008 12:49:32 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______Profile hasn't been updated since Friday, May 30, 2008)
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To: SunkenCiv

At least I know you’re not offensive.

LOL!

(I think I’m gun-shy, these days...)
(She says, looking over her shoulder, ready to duck...)


16 posted on 09/25/2008 1:27:49 PM PDT by Monkey Face (I tripped over a worm and a canary kicked me for getting fresh with the breeze.)
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To: BGHater

My cat isn't a viking kitty, but she buries ingots in her litter box all the time.

Whats so rare about a viking kitty ingot?

Its solid gold?

Well, thats a viking kitty for you!
17 posted on 09/25/2008 10:17:34 PM PDT by Fichori (ironic: adj. 1 Characterized by or constituting irony. 2 Obamy getting beat up by a girl.)
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