Metal Detecting
Metal detecting is a popular hobby. Many people who search with metal detectors
Rene Schon and Luca Malaschnitschenko
A teacher named Rene Schon, and his 13-year-old student, Luca Malaschnitschenko were using their metal detectors on a German island in January 2018. They often went out with their metal detectors because it was a passion that the teacher and his student shared. While out on the island, they made an amazing discovery.
Twisted Piece Of Metal
While on their quest, Luca came across a twisted piece of metal. They thought at first that it was a piece of everyday aluminum. They thought that maybe, what Luca found was worth examining a bit close. It’s a good thing that they did because Luca’s find turned out to be a piece of silver. The two reported Luca’s discovery to the Mecklenburg-West Pomerania government’s archaeology department. Later, the experts were shocked that a teen exploring an island with a metal detector unearthed the lost treasure of a 10th-century king.
A Massive Excavation
In April 2018, a group of experts began excavating the site where Luca made his discovery. They ended up exploring over 4,300 square feet of land. Some thought that the project was a waste of time. These people were wrong. The team ended up uncovering some very incredible items.
Viking-Era Treasure Hoard
While excavating the land, the team found what they called a massive Viking-era treasure hoard. The things that they found dated back 1,000 years and more. They found broaches, bracelets, necklaces, and rings. They also found a silver amulet in the shape of the Mjolnir, which is the Norse god Thor’s hammer.
Coins
A massive amount of jewelry wasn’t the only thing that was uncovered during the dig. The archaeologists also found over 600 coins. Of these coins, 100 of them dated back to the time where a 10th-century king ruled over parts of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and north of Germany. The oldest of all the coins was a dirham from the city of Damascus in modern-day Syria with the year 714 inscribed. The newest of the coins was a penny with the year 983 inscribed. Many of the coins had a Christian cross motif, which identified them as the earliest currency from the kingdom of Denmark.
The 10th Century King
The king who the archaeologists believe could have been the owner of the treasure was King Harald Bluetooth. He was the ruler during a turbulent time when the Vikings held much of the power of Scandinavia and other parts of Europe. He was the first king of a properly united Denmark who ruled in 958. King Harald was the son of Thyra Damnebod and King Gorm the Old. Not only did King Harald unite Denmark, but he also introduced Christianity to the country. Nobody knows why the king was given the name Bluetooth. Some people believe that he had a visibly bad tooth that was blackish blue in color.
A Non-Peaceful Reign
King Bluetooth’s reign was far from peaceful. During his reign, he was often in conflict with other rulers. Harald managed to seize control of Norway after the Norwegian king, Harald Greycloak was defeated in battle. While Harald was able to get the best of Germany, he had problems as the king. His son, Svein Forkbeard took up arms against him and forced Harald to flee northern Germany. Svein caught up with him and killed him during a battle in 985 or 986.
A Bluetooth Connection
The fact that King Harald’s name is the same as Bluetooth wireless technology is not a coincidence. The engineers who developed Bluetooth choose King Harald’s name intentionally to pay respect to the famous Viking. The Bluetooth symbol is made up of the king’s initials, “H” and “B.”
The Find
What Luca and his teacher found on the island that day was fantastic. Unfortunately, they didn’t cash in on their find. These amazing treasures belonged to the government to be placed in a museum for all the world to see. What Luca did get was bragging rights. It isn’t too often that a metal detectorist can say that they found something so incredible. Being just 13-years-old and being able to say that you uncovered the lost treasure of a 10th-century king is absolutely incredible. He says that cashing in on his treasure would have been great, but being able to say that he found it was pretty cool.
