The richest collection of Viking-age objects ever found in Britain or Ireland was offered when the Galloway hoard was unearthed in western Scotland in the summer of 2014). One of the artifacts was smaller than treasures such as a gold bird-shaped pin and a silver-gilt vessel because it was in a pouch that was mangled and undefiled for almost 1,000 years.
The contents of the pouch have been removed and restored, revealing an extraordinary Roman rock crystal jar wrapped in exquisite layers of gold thread by the finest medieval craftsman in the late eighth or early ninth century.
It may have once held a perfume or other prized Potion used to anoint kings, or in religious ceremonies. It was wrapped in a leather pouch and reflected its significance.
Around AD900, the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, Ireland and as far away as Asia were all represented in the treasure. It was found by a metal detectorist on the Church of Scotland land.
It was acquired by National Museums Scotland after a campaign to raise money.
The jar was described as "really beautiful" and " exceptional" by Dr. Martin Goldberg, the NMS's principal curator of early medieval and Viking collections. It was 600 years old when it was transformed into a jar.
He said it was a really unique object.
The British Museum's former keeper of Britain, prehistory and Europe said that rock crystal is unusual. It was prized for its transparency and purity in the antique world. I think it was very special in its time.
Some of the Anglo-Saxon finds I have seen over the years are amazing. This knocks them all into a cocked hat.
The jar is made of rock. Neil Hanna is pictured.
The jar has a Latin inscription on it. It was spelled out in gold letters. This is important evidence that the material in the hoard may have come from a church in the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria, which stretched as far north as Edinburgh and as far south asSheffield.
The foundations of medieval England and Alba were laid at the beginning of the 10th century when Alfred the Great pushed back the Danes. It's not clear if the treasure was buried by a Viking or someone who was afraid of Viking raids at a time when monasteries were being robbed.
Goldberg said that silk was a particularly luxurious and exotic material and had traveled thousands of miles. He said that it was an example of how precious the object was.
The church chronicles of the period are incomplete because of the Viking invasions.
Goldberg was excited to find the name. He said that a lot of the past is not known. There are very few people to work with. Adding new information is building a richer picture.
He realized that the rock crystal design looked like the capital of a Corinthian column. The scale is minute, but it is almost a perfect model of a Corinthian column.
There is a chance that this jar still contains trace elements of the potion it once held.
Goldberg said that the type of liquid that they would expect would be a perfume from the Orient, something that has traveled in the same way as silk. There were certain types of oil used in anointing kings.
A touring exhibition titled The Galloway hoard: Viking-age treasure contains 97 of the treasure's artifacts. It will be at Aberdeen Art Gallery from 30 July to 23 October. A new film and digital model of the jar will be shown on Monday.
