A Viking Age silver ingot discovered on the island has been declared treasure by the Isle of Man’s Coroner of Inquests.
Discovered by metal detectorist John Smart, the 1,000 year old ingot weighs 10.53 grams and was discovered uncut.
During the Viking Age, silver ingots were part of a dual economy and could be used in the place of numerous silver coins as payment for goods.
The ingot is the latest item of Viking Treasure discovered on the island, where more Viking Age silver has been found per square kilometre than England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Allison Fox, Manx National Heritage Curator for Archaeology said: “Ingots like this were used in the Viking world for trade. The ingots were weighed and tested to make sure of their silver content and they were used in part or in whole to buy whatever a Viking needed. It was a cross-border currency. During the later Viking Age, ingots were used alongside coinage. This ingot may only be a small artefact, but put into context, it helps illustrate how the Isle of Man was a part of the international Viking trade network 1000 years ago including how the Viking economy operated and where on the island trade was taking place.”
The ingot will go on display in the Viking and Medieval Gallery at the Manx Museum from Thursday.
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