A volunteer metal detectorist stumbled upon a rare Viking hoard near Haithabu — and what he found is sending ripples through Europe’s archaeology circles.

A Find Hidden for Over a Thousand Years

Arjen Spießwinkel wasn’t out looking for fame. As a member of a volunteer metal detecting group in northern Germany, he’d made a few noteworthy finds before. But what he unearthed near the banks of the Schlei River in Schleswig-Holstein this time? It’s one for the history books.

Experts believe the treasure trove was buried sometime in the 10th century. The stash includes silver coins, an iron whetstone, and — most intriguingly — a pendant that might be either one of the earliest Christian crosses in the region or a stylized, unfinished Thor’s hammer.

Whichever it turns out to be, the symbolism is heavy. These weren’t just trinkets. They were signs of a world shifting between old gods and new.

A Haul That Bridges Two Belief Systems

Spießwinkel’s discovery has caught the attention of the Schleswig-Holstein State Archaeological Office (ALSH), who praised the detectorist for following legal protocol and immediately reporting the find. ALSH dispatched a team to the site near Haithabu, once one of the most important Viking trading hubs in northern Europe.

The mix of items in the hoard paints a picture of life in transition:

• Coins from across northern Europe, hinting at Haithabu’s vast trade network

• A carefully forged whetstone, likely used for sharpening tools or weapons

• A mysterious pendant — possibly a Christian cross, or perhaps Thor’s hammer, Mjölnir

That last item has sparked intense debate.

Is it a symbol of resistance to Christianity? A craftsman’s mistake? Or an object meant to appeal to both pagan and Christian clients?

Nobody’s sure yet.

Where Vikings and Christianity Collided

Haithabu wasn’t just any Viking town. Sitting at the edge of the Schlei inlet, it was one of Scandinavia’s key commercial centers — bustling with traders, raiders, and missionaries.

By the 10th century, Christianity was beginning to take root among the Danes and Norwegians. But pagan beliefs still held sway. That tension is reflected in objects like the pendant found in the hoard.

And that’s what’s so thrilling about this discovery. It gives us something rare: a glimpse into how ordinary people — not kings or monks, but merchants and warriors — navigated those changes.

Archaeologists Move Fast to Secure the Site

Once ALSH confirmed the significance of the hoard, archaeologists worked quickly to excavate the surrounding area. The site had to be protected before word of the discovery attracted looters.

Spießwinkel remained involved throughout the process. Unlike in some countries where detectorists and academics clash, Germany has cultivated a more collaborative model — and this discovery highlights the benefits of that approach.

One sentence here: The entire site was mapped, logged, and sealed off within 48 hours.

The dig revealed no burial mound or formal grave — suggesting this was likely a cache hidden for safekeeping, maybe never retrieved.

What Comes Next for the Viking Treasures

The artifacts are now being analyzed and conserved at ALSH’s laboratories. Conservators will clean and study the coins, assess the metallurgical makeup of the pendant, and try to determine its origins.

A full exhibit is already in the works at the Viking Museum Haithabu. According to preliminary plans, it will open to the public later this year, giving visitors a close-up look at the find.

Here’s what we know so far, based on statements from ALSH:

Notably, the pendant might become the centerpiece of the display. Experts say it could reshape understanding of how Norse culture integrated Christian elements — not just at royal courts, but among the everyday people of trade towns like Haithabu.