ANGLO-SAXON FINDS IN NORWAY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19032, 9 June 1924, Page 10

ANGLO-SAXON FINDS IN NORWAY.

COINS OF THE DANEGELD Two interesting archaeological dis* coveries were made last autumn on the Bukn Islands, situated in the fjord of Bukn, about 20 miles northwest of Stavanger. They provide fresh evidence of the intercourse existing between the British Isles and Norway 900 years ago. Through the courtesy of Dr Jan Petersen, Director of Stavanger Museum, who has subjected the discoveries to a close and expert examination, I have now been able to obtain the following details. The first discovery was made by two labourers at a place knows as Joseng Farm, in the West Bukn Island. It consists of about 320 coins. Approximately 160 of these are of Anglo-Saxon origin, and, with one exception, were minted during the reign of Aethelrcd 11.,, the Un ready (A.D. 975-1013). Six others are somewhat crude copies of ths Aethelred coins, and one belongs to the reign of his father, Edgar (A.D. 959-975). In the lifetime of Aethelred the British coasts were constantly raided by the Vikings of Norway and Denmark, to whom the Unready King paid large ransoms, which he rained by means of the Danegeld, in ortler to deliver his country from their visits. This is the explanation which history offers for the large numbeis of Aethelred coins which have been found in Norway, Denmark, and even* in Sweden, whither they had doubtless found their way from one of the first two countries. One-third of the coins appear to have been minted in London, which was even then the most important, trading centre in England. Most of the others came from York, Lincoln and Canterbury, while the collection as a whole contains coins minted in no fewer than 29 different places. There is some good ground for bebut these are of inferior quality, and it has been difficult to trace their origin. The second discovery was that of a magnificent golden buckle, about tin. in diameter, which was turned up in the soil on the Nedrebo Farm, on East Bukn Island, at nearly the same time as the Joseng coins were found The buckle is in three sections; the upper surface is of gold, richly ornamented with a design in filigree of Norwegian workmanship; the rear surface is of bronze and the two ar-i bound together with a thin silver wire. Apart from a magnificent golden spur found some years ago. on the Christiania Fjord, this biickle constitutes the finest example of goldsmiths’ work of the Viking age which Norway possesses. There is ome good ground for believing that tbe design on the rear surface of bronze is of Irish origin. In this respect the buckle forms an interesting addition to the many objects of Celtic origin found in th« course of time in the ancient soil o.' Rozaland.