In one of the largest archaeological finds ever, archaeologists discovered an important Viking silver hoard in North Yorkshire in 2012. This discovery sheds light on the long-distance trade links established by Viking settlers in England with the Islamic world. This hoard is palynologically dated to the late ninth, or possibly the early tenth century. It consists of 29 silver ingots, for fine metalwork includes ornate neck-rings. Led by Dr. Jane Kershaw, researchers utilized geochemical analysis to trace the origins of the silver, revealing a complex network of trade and cultural exchanges.
The results show that the majority of the silver in the hoard was of western European origin. More importantly, a larger chunk came from Islamic coinage. Archaeological evidence suggests that Anglo-Saxon traders carried these Islamic dirhams directly to England along Scandinavian trade routes. This movement stands as testament to the vigorous economic exchange of the Viking Age. This finding adds further detail to a complex historical story of Viking expansion. It emphasizes their importance as traders, rather than just raiders.
Discovery Context
While we’re on the topic of Viking settlements, let Dr. Kershaw introduce you to Bedale, North Yorkshire, which was a hub of a much larger Eurasian Viking economy. It is here that the Viking silver hoard was found. The find came during long-running archaeological work meant to shed light on life within Viking colonies in England.
This wider perspective disrupts the usual idea of Vikings as just plunderers. Instead, it frames them as active shapers and participants in a global re-structured trading system that stretched across continents.
“I love to think how Bedale—today a quintessentially English market town in North Yorkshire—was, in the Viking Age, at the heart of a much wider, Eurasian Viking economy. The Vikings weren’t only extracting wealth from the local population, they were also bringing wealth with them when they raided and settled.”
Employing advanced geochemical analysis, the researchers were able to identify the origins of each ingot and jewelry item within the hoard. Most of those ingots geochemically matched to silver that would later be minted during the Islamic Caliphate. These metals in particular came from a region that we now consider to be Iran and Iraq.
Analysis and Findings
This revelation is evidence that Vikings were not only accruing wealth through the means of raiding. They were plugged into global trade networks, importing silver from as far away as Peru. The analysis showed that the majority of the residual silver probably derived from Anglo-Saxon and Carolingian coins. Such coins would likely have been seized in battle or redeemed in ransom.
According to the above-mentioned research, it is important to understand a comprehensive image of the Vikings, aggressive as well as vendors.
The silver hoard provides evidence of cultural exchanges between the different civilizations with which the Vikings came into contact during the Viking Age. One neck-ring is especially notable for its dynamic mixture of eastern and western silver. This indicates that localized metalworking practices both absorbed and harmonized influences from multiple cultural contacts.
“Most of us tend to think of the Vikings primarily as raiders, who looted monasteries and other wealthy places in search of wealth. What the analysis of the Bedale hoard shows is that that is only part of the picture.”
The routes by which this silver entered Scandinavia included the eastern trade routes, called Austrvegr, meaning east way or east route. These routes allowed for the exchange of both economic and cultural resources between people from various backgrounds. Viking metalworkers even imagined ways to refine some of this silver themselves, using locally available lead to purify it — evidence of their ingenuity and adaptability.
Cultural Interactions
This finding has great significance. It’s evidence that Viking settlements in England were not separate or self-contained. Rather, they existed as part of a larger economic environment that bridged all of Europe and the Islamic world.
The pathways through which this silver reached Scandinavia included the eastern trade routes known as Austrvegr. These routes facilitated not only economic exchanges but also cultural interactions among diverse groups. Viking metalworkers refined some of this silver using locally available lead, showcasing their adaptability and skill.
The implications of this discovery are profound; it emphasizes how Viking settlements in England were not isolated but were rather integral parts of a larger economic landscape that connected Europe with the Islamic world.