In the second of two blogs Dr Martin Goldberg of the National Museum of Scotland, describes the highlights in researching the dirt balls found in the lower half of the vessel. This involved 3D models so as to protect the originals There were many highlights in what the 3D X-ray imaging revealed, however the dirt-balls found nestled within the silks and most exotic items in the silver-gilt lidded vessel were probably one of the biggest surprises for everyone.
He completes his blog by saying “As we always suspected, each startling discovery about the Galloway Hoard sparks new questions about the people who created and collected these objects, and the world in which the Hoard was assembled. The Galloway Hoard complicates simplistic narratives and reinforces that what we call the ‘Viking Age’ involves connections that span continents and objects whose use extended across several centuries. The golden threads of ideas and objects that we are tracing through this spectacular hoard will continue to connect more and more people, places and things”
For those who missed the first Blog
Golden moments researching the Galloway Hoard part one: tracing golden threads