Man discovers Denmark’s largest Viking Age silver hoard while digging a terrace in his garden

In Rebild, a small town in northern Denmark, a man has unearthed Denmark's largest Viking Age silver hoard while constructing a terrace in his garden. The treasure, comprising 700 10th-century objects and fragments, is three times larger than the previously largest hoard of its kind, the Terslev Hoard, which weighed around 6.5kg.

The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, claimed he initially mistook the objects for old iron, fence wire, and potsherds. However, as he continued to dig, he discovered a variety of items, including silver bars, bracelets, 47 whole coins and fragments, a small Thor's hammer, and cut silver objects that had originally been stored in a clay vessel.

According to the North Jutland Museums, the hoard weighs almost 18.5kg of silver, making it the most significant Viking Age silver find to date. Dr. Torben Sarauw, an archaeologist and head of cultural heritage at the museum, emphasized the importance of the discovery, stating that it offers unique insights into the Viking Age silver economy.

The silver served not only as coinage but also as weighed bullion for trade, payments, and as a means to store wealth. One of the silver bars bears inscriptions that may represent a name or an owner's mark, while the hoard also includes coins with Arabic inscriptions.

Sarauw noted that the hoard was buried during a crucial period in Danish history when the kingdom was forming, and Christianity was spreading across Scandinavia. This treasure provides evidence of a society undergoing significant political and religious transformations. Once the objects are properly documented, the museum hopes to display the hoard at Fyrkat, a Viking Age museum and UNESCO World Heritage ring fortress associated with King Harald Bluetooth. Metal detector discoveries account for 94% of recorded finds in Denmark in 2024.