Written by Andy Green (56) was 6 weeks new to the hobby of metal detecting. He was out with a group of other hobbyist when he literally struck gold, silver too. After brushing it off, it could be identified as the pommel of a Viking Age sword.
“I started to see the gold through the earth and that’s when my hands started shaking,” said Andy Green.
An archeologist who specializes in Viking swords came from Glasgow, Scotland to examine the find. Although found in Corby, England the expert believes it was either made on Gotland island in Sweden or by a metal worker from that island
Due to it’s ornate nature, it was likely initially made for or presented to a person of wealth and stature. It has been dated to 900 and 1120 CE. At the early end of that estimate was the first instances of Scandinavian raiders in what would become known as Danelaw. It is likely the sword came with later settlers.
In an unusual twist, Cox’s son discovered a gold cable in 2018,the year earlier. Experts believe may have been connected to this his find, perhaps literally.
