Vikings buried silver treasure on farm 1,100 years ago. Archaeologist just found it

Someone dug a hole in the dark brown dirt of eastern Norway and placed a set of silver Viking treasures inside. They probably planned to come back. Instead, they vanished.

Over 1,000 years later, archaeologists just dug up the buried artifacts.

Tårn Sigve Schmidt wanted to build a new road along his mountainside farm in Årdal. Before the project got underway, he called archaeologists to come survey the area, the Archaeological Museum at the University of Stavanger said in a Sept. 11 news release.

The team began excavations and soon identified traces of a large, powerful Viking farm from the ninth century.

While excavating one of the Viking farmhouses, archaeologist Ola Tengesdal Lygre noticed something in the dirt that looked like twisted copper wires, they said in the release.

The “wires” turned out to be a set of four 1,100-year-old silver Viking bracelets, archaeologists said.

A photo shows the still-shiny jewelry. Each bracelet has a different design. One looks almost like a piece of rope while another looks relatively smooth.

Volker Demuth, the excavation’s lead archaeologist, described the find as the biggest thing in his career. Unlike many other artifacts, the bracelets had not been moved or damaged by later agricultural work, making them unique, he said in the release.

Uncover more archaeological finds

What are we learning about the past? Here are three of our most recent eye-catching archaeology stories.

→ Sword found in 19th-century German cellar is something much older — and from far away

→ Student with metal detector finds bangle — then discovers ancient hoard in Denmark

→ Hidden corridor beneath Warsaw held ancient artifacts — and secret place for Masons

Archaeologists believe the treasure was buried by Vikings who had to flee the farm. The Vikings considered silver artifacts valuable and typically used them for trading or gifting.

Excavations at the 1,100-year-old farm also found several structures for people, possibly enslaved workers and animals, Demuth said. These buildings showed signs of being burnt down during a period of widespread unrest in the Viking Age.

Other artifacts found in Årdal included pots, knives and sharpening tools, Demuth said.

The bracelets and surrounding dirt were taken to the Archaeological Museum at the University of Stavanger for further analysis. The museum hopes to eventually display the artifacts.

Årdal is a small coastal town in western Norway and a roughly 250-mile drive southwest from Oslo.

Google Translate was used to translate the release from the Archaeological Museum at the University of Stavanger.

2,600-year-old battle gear unearthed at large temple complex in Turkey. Take a look

Volunteer picks up ‘bit of earth’ and finds rare 1,000-year-old ring in Scotland. See it

Melting ice reveals centuries-old fabric items still ‘beautifully preserved.’ See them