Norwegian family finds centuries-old Viking treasure in their garden (PHOTOS)

Who knows what's in your garden? It's possible that a treasure trove has been lying there for centuries, even millennia. In Norway, a family discovered relics of their Viking ancestors quite by accident. Here's how this curious discovery came about.

In search of the lost earring

No, the people who discovered this treasure are not archaeologists. They're just a 'normal' family living on the southern island of Jomfruland. At the end of September, an earring was lost, and in the hope of finding it, these Norwegians used their metal detector in the garden... And more precisely near an old tree. That's when the detector started to shake.

Aware that they had just found something important, they contacted specialists before risking damaging their find. In a statement posted on Facebook, the local council's cultural heritage department explains:

As soon as they turned on the metal detector, they found something, but not the jewels they'd lost. What they did find dated back to Viking times!

Read more:1,100-year-old Viking treasure discovered in a common field by a local walker

1200-year-old gold and bronze jewelry

Under the ground lay a hoard of ornaments, including gold and bronze brooches. In all likelihood, an aristocratic woman was buried at the foot of this tree in the 8th century. But this discovery tells us more about Viking history. These are believed to be the oldest Viking artefacts ever found on this island:

In Jomfruland, there have been settlements for many years, but the evidence only goes back to the early Middle Ages, although it is thought to have also been inhabited in Viking times.

Read more:800-year-old treasure discovered in Viking settlement by amateur metal detectorist

This article has been translated from Gentside FR.