A huge hoard of silver treasure has been found in the Swedish capital of Stockholm.
Although analysis is still underway, many of the artifacts in the collection have been dated to the 12th century and the reign of King Knut Eriksson. The hoard is believed to be one of the largest of its kind ever found in Sweden.
Something big
According to a recent report published by the Stockholm County Administrative Board, the historic find was discovered by an unnamed private individual in the Stockholm area. The individual immediately reported their find to the authorities, as required under Swedish law.
The hoard was then brought to the County Administrative Board so that a team of archeologists could begin examining the artifacts, and the team has also begun looking at the site where the treasure was found. The preliminary investigations indicate that the hoard is a remarkable and unusual discovery.
"This is probably one of the largest silver treasures from the Early Middle Ages that has been found in Sweden," comments Sofia Andersson, antiquarian at the County Administrative Board in Stockholm.
"We don't yet know exactly how many coins there are, but I think it could be upwards of 20,000. Most of the objects are well preserved, though the copper cauldron in which they were found is unfortunately not as well preserved."
The items came from a copper cauldron and consist of thousands of silver coins, jewelry pieces, and beads from the 1100s. Photo: Richard Grönwall / Uppdrag arkeologi / Länsstyrelsen Stockholm
King Knut and bishop coins
Several of the coins found in the collection contain the text "KANUTUS," which is Latin for Knut.
The experts believe that these coins were minted during the reign of Knut Eriksson, who was king of Sweden from 1173 CE to his death in 1196 – approximately a century after the end of the Viking Age. In historical scholarship, the 12th century is typically considered the High Middle Ages.
Most of these coins feature an image of the crowned king embossed on one side. In some instances, Eriksson also holds a sword in his right hand and an orb in his left to signal his authority.
There are also some unusual coins in the collection. Some of the most interesting specimens are the "bishop coins," which were minted for a bishop rather than a monarch.
Several of these coins depict a bishop holding a crozier in his right hand. Another coin is from the Swedish island of Gotland and appears to show a church building on one side.
The collection, which weighs about six kilograms in total, also contains a number of other items, including silver rings, pendants, and beads.
Silver coin with crowned ruler, attributed to Knut Eriksson's era. Photo: Richard Grönwall / Uppdrag arkeologi / Länsstyrelsen Stockholm
Potential reward
In her comments on the website of the County Administrative Board, Sofia Andersson praised the actions of the finder.
"The finder acted completely correctly in contacting us at the board," Andersson said. "According to the Cultural Environment Act, anyone who discovers an ancient silver find or a deposit find must offer it to the state for redemption."
Under Swedish law, the Swedish National Heritage Board decides whether the state will redeem the find. If the state chooses to redeem it, the finder is paid. Indeed, finds of significant historical value that go unreported can represent a great loss to national heritage.
For this reason, Sweden, like many other countries, legally requires the finder of any potential treasure to report it to the authorities.
Archeologists are now working on behalf of the County Administrative Board to fully investigate and document all of the artifacts found in the hoard. Once this process is complete, the team will announce the location of the discovery.
The Swedish National Heritage Board will also decide whether the finder will receive compensation, and if so, what the final amount will be.
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