Finland discovers largest Viking Age silver hoard

A metal detectorist, Kalle Lappinen, has discovered what is believed to be Finland’s largest Viking Age silver hoard near the village of Sysmä in southern Finland. The find, made on September 3, consists of approximately 4.5 kilograms of silver.

The treasure was found split between two separate containers made of birch bark, buried about 43 to 45 centimeters deep and spaced roughly 12 meters apart. The cache includes thousands of silver coins, a silver bracelet, a brooch, and silver beads. Due to corrosion, many of the coins were found stuck together in clusters, making an exact count difficult.

Archaeologist Esko Tikkala from the Lahti City Museums oversaw the recovery. Researchers are currently working to clean, classify, and weigh the items to determine the exact age and origin of the hoard. The discovery is noted for its scale, significantly exceeding the previous record-breaking find of 2.2 kilograms discovered in 1895.