The silver treasure of Westerklief was the first hint that the Vikings had found it worth their while to actually settle on Wieringen. The first such discovery to be unearthed in the Netherlands, the treasure is of national importance. It tells us that the Danish leader Rorik, or people from his retinue, wanted to settle permanently in the lowlands. Therefore, the treasure now lies in the Rijksmuseum voor Oudheden (National Museum of Antiquity) in Leiden. The silver treasure, consisting of Carolingian and Arabian coins, bracelets and silver bars, was found buried in an earthenware pot, and was most likely put there in the 9th century by a Danish Viking. Perhaps the owner meant to hide the silver temporarily, in a secure spot, with the intent of returning later to retrieve it. However, he apparently never came back.
The treasure was found by amateur archaeologists, with the help of a metal detector. Ploughing had brought the treasure near the surface and, in the process, had strewn it around a bit. In total, silver coins and other objects weighing 1.7 kg were found, many of them still in the earthenware pot in which they had originally been buried. A more detailed description of the treasure can be found on the following page.

• 16 silver bars
• 6 Frankish bracelets
• A braided choker
• A twisted arm band
• 3 Arabian coins
• A belt fitting
• 78 Carolingian silver coins

Thanks to subsidies from the municipality of Wieringen and the province of North Holland, a replica of the first Viking treasure has been made. It can be seen in "het Huis van de Aarde" in Den Oever.
 
 

Last updated: 19-3-2002