The largest hoard of Viking Age silver ever found in Finland has been discovered by a metal detectorist about 95 miles (150 kilometers) north of Helsinki. The hoard includes nearly 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) of coins and jewelry, divided into two deposits and stored in birch-bark containers. These items are believed to date from between A.D. 1000 and 1050, though the exact time they were buried remains unknown. The hoard was found on September 3 by Kalle Lappinen, a metal detectorist, and was excavated the next day by archaeologists. The site is located in a forest near the town of Sysmä, beside a rock outcrop. The two deposits were buried about 18 inches (45 centimeters) below ground and approximately 39 feet (12 meters) apart. Esko Tikkala, an archaeologist at the Lahti Historical Museum who led the excavation, said the hoard has not yet been fully cleaned, separated, and counted, but it contains thousands of pieces. The coins and jewelry originate from areas corresponding to modern-day Germany, Sweden, and Great Britain, and include some dirhams—silver coins produced in the Islamic world. The hoard also includes jewelry, such as a silver bracelet, and "payment silver" in the form of hack silver, which refers to cut-up silver used as currency. The weight of the precious metal alone would make the hoard worth nearly $10,000 today. Although the hoard is from the Viking Age, it does not necessarily mean it was buried by Vikings. Tikkala explained that the term "Viking Age" is used by Finnish historians and archaeologists to refer to a specific historical period rather than implying the presence of Vikings in Finland. At the time, the area now known as Finland was not culturally or politically part of Viking Scandinavia. The next step is to study the site and its surroundings, followed by specialists in Viking Age coins identifying the coins and preparing a detailed report. Scientific articles on the hoard and more detailed studies of the coins are expected to be published in the future. This newly discovered hoard surpasses Finland's previously known largest Viking Age hoard, which was found in 1895 in Nousiainen, about 130 miles (210 kilometers) southwest of Sysmä. That hoard contained more than 1,700 silver coins but weighed about half as much as the new find. Other Nordic countries have also reported significant Viking Age hoards recently. Norway uncovered a cache of over 4,700 coins, while Denmark found a hoard of more than 700 silver objects weighing over 40 pounds (18.5 kilograms). These discoveries highlight the ongoing interest in and importance of studying Viking Age artifacts across the region.