This is huge, people. I applaud McLennan; it must be a heady time for him - good on 'im! I sincerely hope the man gets moderately rich for the perseverance that netted the rest of us the opportunity to see a treasure this rich and beautiful. I hoist my daily evening Martini to you Derek, well -done, Son. (Ed.)
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2790197/metal-detectorist-finds-britain-s-biggest-haul-viking-treasure-hundreds-artefacts-including-ancient-silver-cross.html
Metal
detectorist finds Britain's biggest ever haul of Viking treasure - with
hundreds of artefacts including an ancient silver cross
Location searched by enthusiast Derek McLennan
for a year without success
Locale is not being identified by the Church of
Scotland which owns land
Derek McLennan speechless when he made discovery
in early September
Hoard includes possibly the largest silver pot
from Carolingian dynasty discovered and could be up to 1,200-years-old
PUBLISHED: 15:49 EST, 12 October 2014 | UPDATED: 01:36 EST, 13 October 2014
The largest haul of Viking treasure ever found
in Britain has been unearthed by a metal detector enthusiast, it was revealed
today.
The discovery was found on Church of Scotland
land after the detectorist painstakingly searched the unidentified area in Dumfries
and Galloway for more than a year.
The hoard, which consists of more than a hundred
artefacts, many of which are historically unique, is now under the care of the
Treasure Trove Unit and is regarded as being of significant international
importance.
Scroll down for video
An early medieval cross is among
the largest hoard of Viking treasure found in the United Kingdom at an
undisclosed location on land owned by the Church of Scotland. The cross is
engraved with decorations that, experts say, are highly unusual, which finder
Derek McLennan believes may represent the four Gospels
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
Finder Derek McLennan, 47, was left speechless
when he made the discovery in early September and was so emotional that when he
called his wife she thought that he had been in a car accident.
Within the find is an early Christian solid
silver cross, thought to date from the Ninth or Tenth centuries.
+6
The treasure hoard includes possibly the largest
silver pot from the Carolingian dynasty discovered and could be up to
1,200-years-old.
The cross is engraved with decorations that,
experts say, are highly unusual, which Mr McLennan believes may represent the
four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Mr McLennan said: 'I believe they resemble the
carvings you can see on the remnants of St Cuthbert's coffin in Durham
Cathedral.
'For me, the cross opens up the possibility of
an intriguing connection with Lindisfarne and Iona.'
It was found amongst dozens of silver arm-rings
and ingots two feet below the surface, deeper than his detector was thought to
reach.
Metal detector enthusiast Derek McLennan has
helped to uncover a hoard of medieval and Viking treasures including this
golden pin, which has lain buried for centuries in a Scottish churchyard
The excavation was undertaken by Andrew
Nicholson, the county archaeologist, and, shortly after, Mr McLennan found a
second signal at its base.
Further investigations uncovered a second level
trove which is of considerably higher quality than the first.
It includes possibly the largest silver pot from
the Carolingian dynasty discovered and could be up to 1,200-years-old.
+6
The oval shape of this gold ring suggests it had
been worn. It was found by Derek McLennan at an unnamed area in Dumfries and
Galloway, Scotland
The pot appears to have been at least a hundred
years old when it was first buried in the mid-Ninth or Tenth centuries.
Mr McLennan said: 'We still don't know exactly
what is in the pot, but I hope it could reveal who these artefacts belonged to,
or at least where they came from.'
He made the discovery in early September while
out with two local ministers who are also keen detectorists, Rev Dr David
Bartholomew, a Church of Scotland minister of a rural Galloway charge, and Mike
Smith, the pastor of an Elim Pentecostal Church in Galloway.
Rev Dr Bartholomew said: 'We were searching
elsewhere when Derek initially thought he'd discovered a Viking gaming piece.
'A short time later he ran over to us waving a
silver arm-ring and shouting 'Viking'.
'It was tremendously exciting, especially when
we noticed the silver cross lying face-downwards.
'It was poking out from under the pile of silver
ingots and decorated arm-rings, with a finely wound silver chain still attached
to it.How to use a metal
detector to uncover a hidden bounty
An archaeologist prepares the top
level hoard for removal. The historically significant find was made by Derek
McLennan, a committed metal detector enthusiast who has been searching around
the area in Dumfries and Galloway for the last year
'It was a heart-stopping moment when the local
archaeologist turned it over to reveal rich decoration on the other side.'
Mr McLennan is no stranger to finding treasure,
having been part of a group which discovered more than 300 medieval silver
coins shortly before Christmas last year.
Scotland's Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said
of the latest find: 'The Vikings were well known for having raided these shores
in the past, but today we can appreciate what they have left behind, with this
wonderful addition to Scotland's cultural heritage.
'It's clear that these artefacts are of great
value in themselves, but their greatest value will be in what they can
contribute to our understanding of life in early medieval Scotland, and what
they tell us about the interaction between the different peoples in these
islands at that time.
'The Dumfries hoard opens a fascinating window
on a formative period in the story of Scotland and just goes to show how
important our archaeological heritage in Scotland continues to be.'
Under Scots common law for rediscovered relics
the hoard is currently in the care of the Treasure Trove Unit.
Treasure hunter Derek McLennan who spent a year searching the unidentified location in Dumfries and Galloway before stumbling on the treasure trove in September
An agreement between the landowners - the Church of Scotland General Trustees – and Mr McLennan - has been reached for an appropriate finder's fee.
One of the most significant Viking hoards ever
discovered in Scotland
Secretary to the General Trustees, David
Robertson, said: 'We are very excited to have been part of such an historic
find and we commend Derek for the spirit in which he has worked with us and the
other agencies involved in making sure everything is properly registered and
accounted for.
'Any money arising from this will first and
foremost be used for the good of the local parish. We recognise Derek is very
responsible in pursuing his interest, but we do not encourage metal detecting
on Church land unless detailed arrangements have been agreed beforehand with
the General Trustees.'
The exact location of the find is being kept
secret, and the Scottish Government, Treasure Trove Unit, and Historic Scotland
are all working to preserve the site while its full significance is being
determined.
Experts at the unit described the find as 'one
of the most significant Viking hoards ever discovered in Scotland'.
Stuart Campbell, the head of the Treasure Trove
Unit, 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.'
All the objects will now undergo extensive
conservation work in order to determine more about their individual historical
significance.