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Viking hoard reveals its story | Viking hoard reveals its story |
(about 4 hours later) | |
By David Sillito BBC Arts Correspondent | By David Sillito BBC Arts Correspondent |
It is a window on the birth of England and a reminder of the often overlooked first King of all of Britain, Athelstan. | It is a window on the birth of England and a reminder of the often overlooked first King of all of Britain, Athelstan. |
It was buried as Viking nobility fled from Yorkshire at a key moment in British history and more than a thousand years later it was discovered by two men with metal detectors in a field near Harrogate in North Yorkshire. | It was buried as Viking nobility fled from Yorkshire at a key moment in British history and more than a thousand years later it was discovered by two men with metal detectors in a field near Harrogate in North Yorkshire. |
It is the greatest Viking hoard of treasure to be discovered in Britain for more than 150 years. | It is the greatest Viking hoard of treasure to be discovered in Britain for more than 150 years. |
And now it's been cleaned and prepared for display in York and London - it has revealed its stories. | And now it's been cleaned and prepared for display in York and London - it has revealed its stories. |
There are coins from Afghanistan and northern Russia. Britain in the tenth century was part of a globalised trading system. | There are coins from Afghanistan and northern Russia. Britain in the tenth century was part of a globalised trading system. |
The hoard lay buried for more than 1000 years | The hoard lay buried for more than 1000 years |
There is one coin featuring Athelstan, the King of England. Experts believe this means it was from 927-8. | There is one coin featuring Athelstan, the King of England. Experts believe this means it was from 927-8. |
This was the time when Viking Northumbria was conquered and the birth of what was to be the Kingdom of England. | This was the time when Viking Northumbria was conquered and the birth of what was to be the Kingdom of England. |
Athelstan is also described as King of Britain. He was, it appears, claiming overlordship over Scotland and Wales as well as England. A matter that other Kings may well have disagreed with. | Athelstan is also described as King of Britain. He was, it appears, claiming overlordship over Scotland and Wales as well as England. A matter that other Kings may well have disagreed with. |
A coin featuring St Peter but also the hammer of Thor. It's evidence that worshippers of Thor were being encouraged to Christianise their allegiance by switching the Scandanavian god for Peter. | A coin featuring St Peter but also the hammer of Thor. It's evidence that worshippers of Thor were being encouraged to Christianise their allegiance by switching the Scandanavian god for Peter. |
A selection of the coins and jewellery will be going on display in York and the British Museum in December. | A selection of the coins and jewellery will be going on display in York and the British Museum in December. |