Norway: Hobby researcher finds treasure of the century

“At first I thought they were pieces of chocolate,” Erlend Bore said of the earth-encrusted pot of gold, according to the statement. That he had discovered such valuable pieces of antiquity was ‘totally unreal’ to him.

His find consists of nine medallions and gold beads, which together would form a beautiful necklace. The treasure also contains three gold rings. The gold jewelry together weighs more than 100 grams.

Hobby archaeologist wanted to exercise more in the fresh air
Bore discovered the treasure on a farmer’s estate in late August. The 50-year-old Norwegian, who wanted to be an archaeologist as a child, bought a metal detector to motivate himself to exercise more in the fresh air. He followed the advice of his doctor and physiotherapist.

Uni Stavanger: “This is the gold find of the century”
Bore was about to put down the detector when it crashed into the side of a hill. What he discovered next was breathtaking. “This is Norway’s gold find of the century,” says Ole Madsen, director of the Archaeological Museum at the University of Stavanger. “It is extremely rare to find so much gold in one fell swoop.” The last similar find in Norway dates back to the 19th century.

Bore’s gold treasure is also special because of the motif on the medallions. It is a kind of horse from Norse mythology. Professor of archeology Hakon Reiersen explained that the treasure’s location and comparison with similar finds suggested it was either “valuable pieces hidden away, or a gift to the gods in turbulent times.”

The amount of the reward has not yet been determined
Bore is not only rewarded in ideal terms for his important discovery. According to Norwegian law, he and the owner of the found good must receive a reward. However, the amount has yet to be determined.