medieval-atlas/events-to-about-850/72

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The Norse in Scotland The silver hoards ofthe Vikings are aclass ofarchaeological material which opens up a completely different aspect of our knowledge of the Norse in Scotland. They tell us about the trading/raiding side ofthese sea-borne colonisers and give an indication ofthe breadth of their trading activities. Viking hoards are recognisable from the variety of silver objects included:-arm-rings, brooches, necklets, ingots, and 'hack-silver' (cut-up pieces ofobjects which were used as bullion according to weight), as well as a variety of coins from the countries ofWestern Europe and the East, which came within the Viking trading network. The sheer size ofsome ofthese hoards (Skg found at the Bay of Skaill in Orkney), gives us a glimpse of the impressive wealth engendered by the Norse communities in Scotland and particularly in Ireland, where the coastal trading cities probably played a large part in stimulating the growth of the Viking economy. This wealth was carried around all the Norse communities ofScotland, including the Isle ofMan, where the number of hoards Rathlin burnt (795) ... Hoard with coins & other material • Coin hoard (c.20) dating from the late 10th and 11th centuries shows what an important centre of Viking activity the island had then become. How did these personal fortunes come to be buried in the ground? In times of uncertainty it was the only way of protecting one's valuables and if the owner did not survive to retrieve his hidden treasure then we can assume that times were uncertain indeed. Evidencefor hoards is based on 1.G-Campbell, The Viking-Age Gold and Silver Hoards ofScotland (1995). ;;'~r& C'950~~ c.1035 \:1 ~ c.1000 Dunnottar taken (889x900) c.1025 • D.unkeld A plundered (903) 9-11th cent. ,;,// AA'" .... c.1025 ... ,///.../ Corbridge X(914.918) Jarrow attacked (794) • Hoard without coins A 'Hogback' & Kindred Ecclesiastical Monuments kms X Battle-site ...~. o 25 50 75 190 I I ,, , , , • Places attacked by Norse To o 10 20 30 40 50 60 ---route between York and Dublin miles Dublin BEe Viking hoards and hogbacks

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