Erlend Bore accidentally found a fortune in gold Anniken Celine Berger / Arkeologisk Museum, UiS / NTB / AFP
A Norwegian who bought a metal detector to motivate himself to go out and exercise discovered it Gold jewelry from the 6th centurya find that was celebrated in his country as “the gold discovery of the century”.
“At first I thought they were chocolate coins or Captain Sabeltan’s [um famoso personagem imaginário norueguês]” said Erlend Bore, quoted in a statement from the University of Stavanger in the southwest of the country.
The treasure consists of nine medallions made of gold and pearls, which previously formed a luxurious necklace, as well as three rings made of the same metal, the university said on Thursday (7).
The fortune was discovered by the amateur archaeologist in August on a farm property near Stavanger.
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Archeology was a dream
The 50yearold man, who had wanted to be an archaeologist since childhood, bought a metal detector to encourage himself to get more outdoor exercise, as recommended by his doctor and physical therapist.
He was about to give up when the detector on a hill started beeping.
He then alerted the archaeological services, who discovered around 100 grams of jewelry from around 500 AD, a time of great migration in Europe.
“This is the gold find of the century in Norway,” said Ole Madsen, director of the Archaeological Museum at the University of Stavanger. “Finding this much gold in a single discovery is extremely rare,” he said.
The last comparable find in the Scandinavian country dates back to the 19th century.
According to archaeologists, this latest find is unique, particularly because of the motif on the medallions, a type of horse from Norse mythology.
“Given the location of the discovery and the lessons learned from corresponding finds, these are definitely hidden valuable objects or an offering to the gods in a troubled time,” said Professor Håkon Reiersen.
According to legal regulations, Erlend Bore and the property owner must receive a reward, the amount of which has not yet been determined.