Unwrapping the Galloway Hoard
Resource type
Presentation
Abstract
Hoards are complex groups of objects, not simply treasure buried for safe keeping and then forgotten. They are collections of items with their own histories and biographies. Things that were considered precious and important in their own right. They were buried for many reasons, often in containers and/or wrapped in textiles that do not usually survive in the ground.
The Galloway Hoard was buried in c. 900 CE, a time of Viking incisions, in what was then the early medieval kingdom of Northumbria. It was discovered in 2014 by metal detectorists and after going through Treasure Trove, it is now held by National Museums Scotland.
The hoard is in many ways unique, it incorporates not only gold and silver objects but beads, brooches, a black stone pendent and a rock crystal. Some were linked by braids and many were wrapped in textiles, separating them into bundles before they were placed in a lidded vessel, which was also enveloped in fabrics before it and other objects were buried in the ground.
This event introduces you to this unique hoard.
You will hear about the ‘Unwrapping the Galloway Hoard’ project, and how it brought together specialists from diverse fields to unlock its secrets. You will meet the team and learn about what they uncovered – the stories of silver bullion, arm rings and ingots in the Viking world, the complex material make up of beautiful beads, gold socketed mounts, a black stone pendent and a rock crystal both encased in gold, and a silver and niello vessel. You will discover the textiles that wrapped and protected all these objects; their amazing survival and their biographies. Finally, we will explore the complex meanings behind the making of this hoard and how they help us understand early medieval societies in more nuanced ways.
Event title
Unwrapping the Galloway Hoard course
Publisher
Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford
Rights statement
In Copyright
Collection