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Study Identifies Islamic Silver in Viking-Age Bedale Hoard
Nearly one-third of the Bedale hoard's silver came from Islamic lands, showing Vikings gained wealth through extensive trade networks as well as raids, Oxford researchers found.
- Researchers published a study on August 11, 2025, revealing that the Bedale hoard discovered in North Yorkshire connects Viking Age England to the Islamic world through silver artifacts.
- This find follows the 2012 discovery by metal detectorists of 29 silver ingots, neck rings, and other artifacts dating back to the Viking Age around the end of the 800s and the beginning of the 900s AD.
- Geochemical analysis identified three main silver sources: western European coinage, Islamic dirhams from regions like modern Iran and Iraq, and mixed sources reflecting complex trade and metalworking.
- Jane Kershaw, lead author and archaeology professor, explained that while Vikings are often viewed mainly as raiders, the findings from the Bedale hoard reveal that their wealth also stemmed significantly from trade and commercial activities.
- The findings imply Vikings participated in extensive trade networks spanning over 3,000 miles, integrating England deeply into a Eurasian economic system beyond mere pillaging.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Viking Hoard Found In England Reveals Trade Links With Middle East
The 1,100-year-old Bedale hoard, discovered in North Yorkshire, includes silver from both European raids and Middle East trade networks. Credit: York Museums Trust / CC BY 4.0 A newly published study has confirmed that silver from an ancient Viking hoard discovered in England came not only from European raids but also from trade with the Middle East. The Bedale hoard, dated to around 1,100 years ago, was uncovered in 2012 near the town of the sa…
1,100-year-old Viking hoard reveals raiding wealthy only 'part of the picture' — they traded with the Middle East too
Researchers have found that the Bedale Viking hoard contains silver from Middle Eastern coins, highlighting that the Vikings profited from long-distance trade networks and brought this imported silver with them when they settled in England.
Scientists prove Extensive Viking Silver Trade with Abbasid Empire from British Silver Hoard
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Northeastern England fell to the Vikings in 865, and they held it for several decades. They not only had what is now Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Durham but points south to the town of Bedale on the way to York. In 2012 archeologists found a silver and gold treasure hoard in Bedale dating to the late 800s and early 900s CE, and an Oxford team has now subjected it to an innovative scientific analysis. To their astonishme…
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