Retired Man Discovers 1,000-Year-Old Viking Treasures In Scotland

A metal-detecting enthusiast has discovered an array of Viking treasures on a church property in Scotland.

The discoveries were made by Derek McLennan back in September in Scotland's Dumfries and Galloway. McLennan had permission to use his metal detector on a church property, and ended up uncovering over 100 artifacts from a Viking civilization in the 9th or 10th Century.

McLennan recalled finding the objects, saying that at first he didn't understand the importance of the pieces when he first uncovered them.

"I unearthed the first piece; initially I didn't understand what I had found because I thought it was a silver spoon and then I turned it over and wiped my thumb across it and I saw the saltire-type of design and knew instantly it was Viking. Then my senses exploded." McLennan said. The metal detector-enthusiast went on to discover a second layer of artifacts.

Objects found include solid gold jewelry, armbands, silver ignots, silver pots, and a solid silver cross. The country's Treasure Trove unit said in a statement that "Experts have begun to examine the finds, but it is already clear that this is one of the most significant Viking hoards ever discovered in Scotland."

Scotland's secretary for cultural and external affairs, Fiona Hyslop, said in a statement "The Vikings were well known for having raided these shores in the past, but today we can appreciate what they have left behind."

McLennan also made an important discovery last year, when he discovered Scotland's largest collection of Medieval coins.