Jewellery, Objects of Vertu, Silver and Watches

The Allerdale silver Viking Hoard
Late 9th - early 10th century


The hoard comprises four Anglo-Saxon lanceolate silver strap ends in the Trewhiddle style together with seven fragments of a Viking silver bracelet and a lead gaming piece.


The strap ends are of Thomas class A1a which indicate a date between 840-920 AD. Each strap end is incised on the upper surface with three or four beasts with curling tails and speckled bodies. Niello inlay is partially visible as an infill between the animals. To the top are two rivet holes with interlacing decoration between, the lower terminal has a stylised animal head with lentoid eyes and scroll-like ears, the bracelet has a punched border decoration of annulets arranged in pairs with a zig-zag pattern in the centre.

The triangular lead gaming piece or weight has conical projections at each corner.

(12) £5,000-£6,000

This lot is a detectorist find and is registered with the The Portable Antiquities Scheme. The find number is LANCUM-45C589.

View Find on
PAS Website

The Hoard was found metal detecting between 26 September 2020 - 2 June 2023 in Cumbria. It is recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database ref: LANCUM-45C589, disclaimed as Treasure ref: 2020 T1004 and returned to the finder.

The Trewhiddle Hoard found in 1774 in a riverbed in Cornwall contained coins and artefacts dating to the 9th century with the distinctive birds, snakes and beasts ornamentation and was extensively used as decoration on high-class metalwork in the 9th century. It continued to be produced in the 10th century in Northern England.

Strap ends dimensions: 6 x 2cm.
Weights: 13.47gm; 13.59gm; 14.06gm; 6.18gm and 8.38gm (two halves).
They have minimal surface wear, one strap end has a break across the middle.
Lead gaming token weight: 10.81gm.