A hoard of Viking treasure has been unearthed by a metal-detecting enthusiast in one of the most significant finds of its kind ever made in Scotland.
More than 100 objects, some of them made of gold, were discovered on church land at an undisclosed location in Dumfries and Galloway, and is believed to be worth approximately £1m.
The "historically significant" find was made by Derek McLennan, 47, a committed metal detectorist who had been searching the area for the last year.
The rich hoard of artefacts, many of which are unique, includes some of Carolingian (west European) and Irish origin. The material comprises many silver ingots, armbands and brooches, as well as several gold objects, Scotland's Treasure Trove Unit announced.
The hoard also includes a complete metal vessel containing more objects. It has not yet been emptied and the first step will be to examine its contents by x-ray techniques.
Experts at the unit described the find as "one of the most significant Viking hoards ever discovered in Scotland".
Head of the Treasure Trove Unit, Stuart Campbell, who is overseeing assessment of the hoard, said: "This is a very important and significant find and has required the close cooperation of Historic Scotland with Treasure Trove Unit and National Museums Scotland staff to recover the fascinating items it contains.
"Due to the quantity and variety of the objects, and the importance of the find overall, it will take some time for experts to assess the hoard as a whole so that we can appreciate its true significance. We look forward to learning more."
Get the latest headlines www.telegraph.c...
Subscribe to The Telegraph www.youtube.com...
Like us on Facebook / telegraph.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter / telegraph
Follow us on Google+ plus.google.co...
Telegraph.co.uk and / telegraphtv are websites of The Daily Telegraph, the UK's best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture.
11 сен 2024
