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INGOT
Unique ID: SWYOR-F740C5
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published 
An Early Medieval, Viking-period silver ingot dating from AD 850 - 1000. It is sub-rectangular in plan and D shaped in cross-section. The complete end is rounded. The opposite end is cut with a single blade on a slight angle. The surface is dimpled and scratched. The ingot is 43.5mm long, 10.8mm wide and 8mm thick. 23.5g.
Compare CAM-F04AC8 (2014 T636) which notes that: "Viking silver ingots were probably used as bullion in trade and commercial transactions before the introduction of coinage and possibly also sometimes as stock pieces of precious metal for casting into jewellery. They date mainly from the late 9th/10th century - c. 875 - c. 1000. Similar examples can be found, for instance, in the well-known Viking silver hoard from Cuerdale, Lancashire, which was deposited around 905-910 (J. Graham-Campbell, 2011, The Cuerdale Hoard and related Viking-Age silver and gold from Britain and Ireland in the British Museum, London, British Museum Press, 73-84)."
The mass of the object may be significant. DUR-DFF172 (2017 T965) notes that "Kruse (1988, Ingots and Weight Units in Viking Age Silver Hoards. World Archaeology 20, p286) states that the standard weight unit of Scandinavia was the mark, which was divided into three öre, each of which consisted of three örtugar. The weight of an öre was about 21-26g, and the örtugar 7.8-8.6g (ibid, 288-9)."
Notes:
This object appears to qualify as Treasure under two of the stipulated criteria of the Treasure Act 1996: it is more than 300 years old and the precious metal content exceeds 10%.
Class: hacksilver
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Declared Treasure but returned to Finder as Museum unable to acquire
Treasure details
Treasure case tracking number: 2017T914
Chronology
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Middle
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Late
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Ascribed Culture:
Viking style
Date from: Circa AD 850
Date to: Circa AD 1000
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 43.5 mm
Width: 10.8 mm
Thickness: 8 mm
Weight: 23.5 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 2nd July 2017 - Sunday 2nd July 2017
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
Treasure case number: 2017T914
Materials and construction
Spatial metadata
Region: Yorkshire and the Humber (European Region)County or Unitary authority: North Yorkshire (County)
District: Ryedale (District)
To be known as: Terrington
Spatial coordinates
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graham-Campbell, J. | 2011 | The Cuerdale Hoard and related Viking-Age silver and gold from Britain and Ireland in the British Museum | London | The British Museum |
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Timeline of associated dates
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