![Cluster of silver objects on a black surface viewed from above. Two decorated metal strips in the centre with 9 brooches, mostly round, surrounding them.](https://nms-supercool.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/Images/Discover/Understanding-hoards-in-the-viking-age/galloway-hoard-anglo-saxon-metalwork.jpg?w=570&h=426&q=100&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1721743672&s=a007ffb03ba99ee6db9edcfee10f6bc7)
The Galloway Hoard national tour
The Galloway Hoard brings together the richest collection of rare and unique Viking-age objects ever found in Britain or Ireland.
Nothing like this has ever been found in Scotland...
Dr Martin Goldberg, Principal Curator of Medieval Archaeology and History
Bringing together the richest collection of rare and unique Viking-age objects ever found in Britain or Ireland, the internationally significant Galloway Hoard is transforming our understanding of Scotland’s connections with the wider world during this period.
The Hoard was buried around AD 900 and contains over 100 diverse objects, from silver, gold and jewelled treasures to rarely surviving textiles, including wool, linen and Scotland’s earliest examples of silk.
Discovered by a metal detectorist in Dumfries and Galloway in 2014, the Hoard was allocated to National Museums Scotland in 2017, when a selection of items went on display as part of successful fundraising campaign supported by the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Art Fund to save it for the nation. With generous public support, an intensive programme of conservation and research is now underway, uncovering the secrets of the Hoard for the very first time.
![A group of objects made of silver, stone, and coloured stones, all sitting on a black background](https://nms-supercool.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/Images/Discover/Understanding-hoards-in-the-viking-age/galloway-hoard-beads-and-crystal-arrangement.jpg?w=771&q=100&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1718695214&s=3294a14ce15c60ccd58af5c3410eca15)
This free exhibition ran from 28 May to 12 September 2021 at the National Museum of Scotland, providing visitors with a view of the recently cleaned and conserved objects from the Hoard which reveal intricate decoration not seen since the objects' burial more than 1,000 years ago.
Visitors were able to delve deeper and examine hidden details found in X-rays, CT scans and 3D models. The exhibition uncovered what innovative research and analysis has already told us about the Hoard, and explored what future work might yet reveal about this unparalleled Viking-age find.
With support from the Scottish Government, the exhibition then went on tour to Kirkcudbright Galleries (9 October 2021 to 10 July 2022) and Aberdeen Art Gallery (30 July to 23 October 2022).
Discover more about the Galloway Hoard
- Discover
How ‘Viking’ is the Galloway Hoard?
When the Galloway Hoard was first unearthed in 2014, its piles of silver arm-rings and ingots made it seem like a classic Viking hoard. The more that we learn about it, the less ‘Viking’ it looks, even as it continues to give us incredible… - Discover
The Galloway Hoard
The Galloway Hoard is an exceptional treasure, discovered in 2014 by metal detectorists at Balmaghie, Kirkcudbrightshire. It contains over 5kg of silver, gold and other materials dating to c AD 900. The careful way it was buried helped… - Discover
A rare pectoral cross in the Galloway Hoard
Viking-age hoards are known for their large amounts of hacksilver. These are silver objects cut up and valued for their weight. Complete objects are rare from these silver hoards. A well-preserved pectoral cross placed near the top of the…