Metal detectorist unearths 700-year-old artifact linked to young king, photo shows
As archaeologists excavated a site in southern Norway, a metal detectorist searched the surrounding area — uncovering a 700-year-old artifact linked to a young king.
Jorun Skogen used a metal detector to search for buried artifacts at an estate in Avaldsnes, the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research said in a May 23 Facebook post. The searches were a collaborative project with an archaeological excavation at the site.
During the project, Skogen unearthed a small coin, the institute said.
The coin was dirty and its design hard to see, leaving archaeologists unsure what it was. Suspecting the coin was from the Middle Ages, they sent it to a laboratory for X-rays and further scans, then contacted a coin expert.
Linn Eikje Ramberg, a coin expert with the Archaeological Museum at the University of Stavanger, identified the artifact as a “white rose” coin minted between 1295 and 1299 under King Eirik Magnusson.
Photos show the 700-year-old coin and the cross-shaped design on its center. In one scan, four small flowers can be seen in between the spokes of the cross. Another set of markings runs along the outer ring.
Eirik Magnusson, also known as Eric II of Norway, was barely 12 years when he became king in 1280, according to the Large Norwegian Encyclopedia. At 15 years old, he fell from a horse and was left partially disabled. He ruled until 1299 and died at the age of 31, his short reign largely driven by the royal cabinet.
The young king’s primary achievement was the Norwegian national coat of arms, a design which took shape under his reign, according to the Large Norwegian Encyclopedia.
Archaeologists plan to send the 700-year-old coin for further analysis.
Avaldsnes is a village on an island off Norway’s southeastern coast and a roughly 300-mile drive west from Oslo.
Google Translate was used to translate the Facebook post from the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research and article from the Large Norwegian Encyclopedia.
This story was originally published May 24, 2024 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Metal detectorist unearths 700-year-old artifact linked to young king, photo shows."
