Viking-era silver hoard from Sysmä draws global attention

News of metal detector enthusiast Kalle Lappinen’s Viking-era silver hoard from Sysmä has spread internationally, Yle reports. Lappinen found thousands of silver coins there in early September.

The New York Times published an extensive article about the discovery and interviewed Lappinen and Finnish experts. Archaeologist Toni Paukku of the Lahti museums told the newspaper that the find strengthens Finland’s connection with the Vikings.

US broadcaster ABC News also reported on the coins. Archaeologist Esko Tikkala of the Lahti museums told ABC News that coin hoards show that present-day Sysmä was a thriving centre of trade during the Iron Age.

Smithsonian magazine and Live Science have also covered the find. China’s official Xinhua news agency reported on it, followed by outlets including Malaysia’s The Star. Ukrainian news site Mezha and Swedish outlets Aftonbladet and TV4 also published reports.

In addition to the coins, the discovery included a silver bracelet and other silver objects. The items had been stored in two birch-bark containers buried between stones at a depth of just under half a metre. The containers were about 12 metres apart.

The coins had a combined weight of 4.5 kilograms.