A treasure trove of early medieval silver found in Stockholm –

A large treasure trove of silver coins and jewelry from the 12th century has been discovered in Sweden. It is the first medieval treasure found in Stockholm and one of the largest hoards of early medieval silver found in Sweden. Stockholm was founded in 1252, so these treasures predate the city’s existence.

A total of six kilograms (13.2 pounds) of coins, rings, pendants and beads were found in a copper pot. The cauldron is in poor condition—much of it has deteriorated over time—but its contents are well preserved. The coins are still being recorded, but there are an estimated 20,000 of them.

The history of silver coins mainly dates back to the 12th century. Some coins are engraved with “KANUTUS,” the Latin name for Knut. They come from Knut Eriksson’s reign as King of Sweden in the late 12th century.

Several coins are unusual. During the Middle Ages, Europe minted so-called episcopal coins, coins minted for bishops. The treasury contains several such coins, in which a bishop can be seen holding a scepter in his right hand.

King Canute was the first king to start issuing royal coins again, after Sweden had not minted any new coins for over a century. However, there was a lot of conflict during his reign as he attacked pagan believers in order to spread Christianity. He had to build extensive fortifications to defend against invasion by Baltic tribes, including a guard tower on the island of Stockholm. The fact that the coins were mixed with jewelry and pearls suggests that this was a fortune that a wealthy family or individual had hidden away for safekeeping during this turbulent time.

The discoverer, an angler, was digging for worms near his summer home in the Stockholm area when he discovered the treasure. He immediately reported the situation to the county administrative board, as required by Swedish cultural heritage law, and commissioned archaeologists to document the discovery and excavate the site. Often, these types of treasures are buried next to other ruins, so archaeologists hope to find more artifacts or structural remains.

Once the investigation is complete, the find will be reported to the National Heritage Board, which will then determine the treasure’s valuation and whether it should be redeemed from the finder. Due to the rarity and high value of the find, compensation is almost guaranteed to be paid to the finder and the treasure will be distributed to a museum, such as the Stockholm History Museum