Scotland's Galloway Hoard May Have Belonged to Community

GALLOWAY, SCOTLAND––A new study has determined that the famous Galloway Hoard may not have belonged to a single wealthy individual but perhaps to an entire community, according to a statement released by National Museums Scotland. In 2014, metal detectorists in Kirkcudbrightshire discovered a collection of Viking Age objects that were buried around a.d. 900. The treasure included 11 pounds of silver and gold, an Anglo-Saxon crucifix, various pendants, brooches, and bracelets, and a silver gilt vessel that originated in the Sasanian Empire of Iran. A recently translated runic inscription found within the interior of one silver armband reads, “this is the community’s wealth/property.” “This is another really interesting and significant development in our understanding of the Galloway Hoard," says Martin Goldberg of National Museums Scotland. "The idea that the wealth this hoard represents would be communally held is fascinating. It does still leave us with unanswered questions around the circumstances in which a community’s wealth would come to be buried, and also which particular community.” To read more about the cache, go to "Secrets of Scotland's Viking Age Hoard."