Ancient hoard skills revisited at showcase
A FASCINATING glimpse into how Viking craftsmen made silver objects is being offered visitors dropping in on a free workshop in Ross-shire next weekend.
It’s being led by modern-day craftsman Jim Glazzard and forms part of a series of free events allowing locals to take a step back in time to explore the area’s colourful past.
Mr Glazzard, founder of Asgaard Crafts, is making a return to the Black Isle Showground in Muir of Ord on Saturday, August 25.
He will showcase how Viking craftsmen made a variety of artefacts, focussing on a type of bracelet called ‘ring money’.
As with all of the experimental archaeology workshops, this is a free family-friendly drop-in event without any need to book.
"In the Viking world, silver was the main precious metal," explains Susan Kruse of Archaeology for Communities in the Highlands (ARCH).
"Craftsmen made beautiful jewellery, and Jim will describe some of the techniques used as he works. But silver was also used as money, with objects and scraps weighed on portable balances.
"In the Viking world, which stretched along the Baltic and into Europe, coins were only valued for their weight, not having any guaranteed buying power. This provided consistency across the vast areas the Vikings travelled and traded, but it also led to complications when different weight systems were used.
"Sagas written in Iceland which date several hundred years later describe people using an arm ring to pay for expensive items, or even chopping it to roughly the required weight."
In Scotland a simple type of arm ring is found in hoards from the Viking period, as complete examples and fragments. Some have small nicks, presumably made to test the purity of the silver. Archaeologists have termed these bracelets ‘ring money.’ They could have been used as jewellery, but if need arose, could be used as money.
In 1889 a hoard of four arm rings together with some coins from the Frankish and Anglo-Saxon empire were found in the wall at Tarbat church in Portmahomack by a gravedigger.
The coins helped date the hoard to around the year 1000, showing that it was deposited not during the first Viking raids in the 800s, but several centuries later.
Mr Glazzard will also bring replicas of other Viking silver work with him during next week’s event, and provide a fascinating insight into the skills of a smith 1000 years ago. There will also be activities for younger members of the audience.
The event is one of a monthly series organised by ARCH with funding from Historic Environment Scotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund. For more details on the event visit www.archhighland.org.uk
