Four decorated silver bracelets dating to around the 9th century were discovered seven inches beneath the floorboards of a small house on a mountain farm in Årdal, Norway. The hoard was found in situ alongside domestic artifacts and signs of burning, suggesting valuables may have been hidden during an attack. The items were transported to the museum embedded in soil, X‑rayed, and will undergo soil analysis and conservation before display.
Viking Silver Hoard Found Intact Under Norwegian Farmhouse — Four 9th‑Century Bracelets Unearthed
Viking Treasure Discovered on Norwegian FarmLorado - Getty Images
A routine archaeological check ahead of a new farm road in Årdal, northwest of Oslo, revealed a rare and well‑preserved Viking‑age hoard: four heavy silver bracelets buried just seven inches beneath the floorboards of a small house on a mountainside farm.
Discovery and Context
Farmer Tårn Sigve Schmidt called in archaeologists before cutting a track for his tractor, and the team excavating the site soon realised the twisted metal they had spotted was not copper but silver. The bracelets — each with distinct ornamentation — were recovered from what appears to be the original deposit, offering unusually intact archaeological context.
“At first, I thought it was a question of some twisted copper wires that you can often find in agricultural land,” said field archaeologist Ola Tengesdal Lygre in a translated statement from the University of Stavanger. “But when I saw that they were silver, I realised we had found something exciting.”
What the Site Reveals
Further excavation indicates the farm was once a substantial and strategically located Viking estate with several houses and animal shelters, controlling access to a fjord entrance. Finds of soapstone cooking vessels, rivets, knife blades and whetstones point to domestic and craft activity at the site. Evidence of burning suggests the settlement may have been attacked or destroyed in a period of unrest.
Significance of the Find
Project manager Volker Demuth of the Archaeological Museum at the University of Stavanger called the discovery the most significant of his career because the bracelets remain in situ rather than being displaced by later ploughing. That intact context can yield new insights into social life, wealth, and crisis responses in the Viking Age.
“Since the silver hoard has not been moved, it can give us completely new insights into life and society in the Viking Age,” Demuth said.
Next Steps and Broader Context
The bracelets were transported to the museum embedded in the block of soil they were found in and have been X‑rayed. Soil analyses are planned to investigate whether the silver was wrapped (for example in cloth) when buried and to better understand the deposit's micro‑environment. The team is also exploring a possible link to a necklace find from Hjelmeland in 1769.
Because Norway had no domestic silver mines during the Viking Age, the metal almost certainly arrived via trade, diplomatic gifts, or plunder. Historians note that Vikings commonly used silver as a medium of wealth and exchange more than gold, reflecting trading networks across Europe and beyond.
Ole Madsen, director of the Archaeological Museum, said the objects will eventually go on display once conservation and analysis are complete.
