[vannrox]

I love this stuff.

[lizma]

If you ever find youself in York, England, check out the Jorvik Viking Centre.

They take you through the ruins of a settlement and then through a re-creation which includes the possible smells!

It's fabulous.

[Shermy]

Some interesting history here in this article.

[r9etb]

Great post. An amazing array of places for those coins to come from. I especially like the part about the Khazars. (Are these the people form whom Khazakstan is named?)

[strela]

The site's proximity to one of Gotland's main natural harbours, may be one clue.

Wi not trei a holiday in Sweden this yer?

See the loveli lakes ...

[RightWhale]

In the ninth century, the silver money of the Arabs was the most common coinage in Scandinavia

Factoid alert:
Islamic coin, eh?

[Icthus]

Good post....thanks.

[The Great RJ]

Given the Swedish government's tax rates, the farmer should take a hint from his Viking ancestors and also bury his money.

[another cricket]

"with crops that year infected by lice,"

Lice? First time I ever heard of crops getting lice.

Very cool find indeed. We seem to be getting a lot of very cool finds lately.

a.cricket

[Hugin]

Sweden's law on historical monuments sets strict penalties for anyone searching for treasure with metal detectors,

Why make it illegal to search with metal detectors? Sounds like a stupid socialist regulation to stiffle individual initiative.

[AZLiberty]

Photographs and more info here.

[cake_crumb]

"The earliest coin in the hoard dates from AD 539 and is Persian, before the Islamic conquest."

I guess it WAS before the "Islamic conquest", since 539 AD is over a hundred years before Islam....

Otherewise, great article. I LOVE these archeological treasure finds.

[AnalogReigns]

News Flash! Beneath all the silver armlets they found a portrait of the original horde owner:

[Publius6961]

The Khazars were believed to have converted to Judaism - possibly the only nation to do so - after their ruler invited Christian, Islamic and Jewish theologians to demonstrate the merits of their different faiths to his court.

When I first ran across this curious historical reference, I doubted it and considered it apocryphal.
This certaily convinces me. The Khazars eventually drifted to Islam but this was an attempt by them to not "take sides" between the two main warring powers of the time, and appease them both by adopting their "common" God.
I love this stuff too. :)

[csvset]

failing to report any buried gold, silver or copper to the police or local museums.

All the hoards belong to them. (sigh)

I visited a museum in Antalya, Turkey, which had a display of coins that had been discovered in the region. The display had a timeline that featured the different coins. Very informative, many different cultures and countries, covering many centuries. One of the largest finds was discovered by, of course, a farmer.

[PaulKersey]

bump to the top.

[vikingchick]

Viking Treasure would be a great screen name. Too late for me.

[SunkenCiv]

A Blast from the Past.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[gobucks]

One of the most important coins in the hoard, dating from AD 830 to 840, sheds light on a place far away: Its markings show its provenance is the kingdom of the Khazars, a realm in southern Russia between the Black and Caspian seas.

Ping ... thought you'd find this of interest.

[G Larry]

These antiquities laws gaul me...

However, since these "coins' won't fit in a Coke machine, it was probably necessary to associate the location w the find, to establish its provenance.

Hope the reward is significant!

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

Buried treasure was believed to be guarded by dragons in the days of old, but nowadays Sweden's law on historical monuments sets strict penalties for anyone searching for treasure with metal detectors, or failing to report any buried gold, silver or copper to the police or local museums.

Two words: Black Market
Two more words: Melting Pot

That's where these laws send most stuff when found by someone with any IQ.

Anyone discovering and dutifully reporting treasure gets a reward in line with the value of the find. Engstrom is still waiting for his, as archaeologists have studied only a fraction of the Spillings hoard, named after his farm.

Since 1999, because, since you can't legally sell it, it's all worth exactly nothing.