Object in Focus: The Vale of York Hoard by Gareth Williams

Object in Focus: The Vale of York Hoard by Gareth Williams

Discovered in 2007 and acquired by the British Museum and York Museums Trust, the Vale of York hoard was buried in the late 920s in the reign of the West Saxon king Athelstan, in what is now North Yorkshire. This was a crucial time in the unification of England and the contents of the hoard offer us insight into this turbulent and fascinating political period. The spectacular gold and silver jewellery, ingots and coins in the hoard originally came from regions ranging from Ireland to the Middle East. They represent Christianity, Islam and the worship of Thor, reflecting the amazing cultural diversity, contact and exchange in the Viking world, as well as the scope of Viking raiding and trading. The size of the hoard is impressive and the presence of some particularly valuable items such as a rare and beautiful silver gilt cup, previously unrecorded coins and a decorated gold armband indicate the extreme wealth of the owner of the hoard; possibly a powerful chieftain. This book describes the individual items in the Vale of York treasure and explores the historical and political context of the burial of this exceptional hoard, offering a fascinating picture of the Viking age.

Gareth Williams lives in London with his amazing wife. From an early age he’s loved to draw, and that passion continues to this day. It's something he still can't believe he gets to do for a living. Gareth has illustrated everything from editorial illustrations to children's books.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780714118185
ISBN 10	0714118184
Title	Object in Focus: The Vale of York Hoard
Author	Gareth Williams
Series	Objects In Focus
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	British Museum Press
Year published	2010-02-08
Number of pages	48
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.