ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCEArchaeological evidence of Scandinavian activity has been limited: Viking graves,
occasional finds, some Scandinavian place names, coin hoards and a handful of
sculptured stones which display Scandinavian influences (e.g. Nash-Williams 1950 : nos
37 , 38 , 190 ; Edwards 1999 ) – but the various elements were seen to be ‘consistent with
and reinforce each other’.
Until recently, there was little archaeological material from Wales to support the
historical or place-name evidence. Recent reviews by Wilson and Graham-Campbell
have placed this evidence (largely hoards and coins with a littoral distribution) in
context (Wilson 1995 ; Graham-Campbell 1998 ). Davies ( 1990 : 52 – 5 , 57 ) considered
that the early tenth-century five Red Wharf Bay silver arm-rings (Boon 1986 ) reflect
a distinctively Scandinavian practice, and that it is exceptionally unlikely they were
not deposited by Scandinavians. Sheehan ( 2004 ) has viewed such hoards of complete
ornaments in social rather than economic terms alone: that they conferred status on
patrons, donors or recipients. The Red Wharf Bay arm-rings are probably contemporary
with the Cuerdale hoard (buried c. 905 ), and it has been suggested that Ingimund’s
activities on Anglesey in 903 might have led to the deposition and their non-recovery
(Boon 1986 : 30 ; Graham-Campbell 1998 : 108 ) (Figure 29. 1 ). Eleven silver hoards are
known from Wales, which are thought to have been deposited between 850 and 1030.
One of two hoards from Bangor, found on the High Street (within the precinct of the
monastery established by St Deiniol in the sixth century), was probably deposited after
c. 925. It is characteristically Scandinavian in coin composition, and includes hack-silver
(Blackburn and Pagan 1986 : no. 106 ). The mixed hoard may represent east–west or
west–east movement of bullion rather than resulting from a raid from the Isle of Man.
Discoveries of silver hoards on ecclesiastical sites in Ireland, particularly of ingot and
Figure 29. 1 Early tenth-century silver arm-rings from Red Wharf Bay, Anglesey.
(Copyright © National Museum of Wales.)–– chapter 29 : The Vikings in Wales––