I went with a friend to see Vikings: Life and Legend at the British Museum.
We paid for the audio-guide, heard the stories, made connections and I tried to fit the Vikings into my limited chonological history of Britain.
I read about trade, plunder and power, marvelled at how widely travelled the Vikings were, looked at lots of beautifully decorated objects, jewellery, coins, swords, and considered how that boat and its crew survived crossing rough seas with waves perhaps over twice its height.
However I can't share these stories with you as I rely on photos for this blog
and photography isn't allowed in the exhibition, which is rather a shame.
What captured my imagination though,
was how the well-travelled Vikings carried their wealth around,
as ornament and purse.
There are more Viking treasures in the British Museum, in the Sutton Hoo gallery.
Where you can take photos.
I had seen this hoard before but had not particularly paid much attention to it.
Although silver, it just looked 'like a load of old broken bits and pieces'.
This is the 'Cuerdale Hoard' from the late AD800s to early AD900s.
From northwestern England.
A collection of 'bits and pieces'.
But this time I had a better understanding.
This hoard wasn't a collection of redundant stuff,
this was the contents of someones wallet.
Currency accepted around the world.
Hacksilver, cut up pieces of rings, brooches, coins, bangles, necklaces and combs.
This was a viking's portable wealth, silver for cutting up and settling your accounts.
Money needed when travelling was worn as well as carried.
When needed, a necklace could have strands of silver unwound from it.
Costs were calculated by the weight of silver.
So of course, all these 'bits and pieces' are perhaps the change!
Loose change weighing down your pockets.
Here's a whole brooch pin. Has anyone got any change?
Vikings: Life & Legend is on at the British Museum until 22nd June 2014.
It gets busy, book in advance.
The Sutton Hoo gallery, read about it here, is new and is upstairs at the British Museum.
