Late Roman and Pictish silver hoard uncovered in Scotland

A hugely important hoard of Roman and Pictish silver has been discovered in a field in Aberdeenshire.

More than 100 pieces of hacked-up silver, coins and jewellery have been unearthed by archaeologists from the National Museums of Scotland (NMS) and Aberdeen University.

Described as an important discovery, the find - found at a currently undisclosed location - is the most northerly hoard of late Roman hacksilver to be found in Europe.

Hacksilver is fragments of cut or bent silver which was either used as currency when measured by weight, or carried in such a state for ease of transport.

The new finds include late Roman coins, pieces of late Roman silver vessels, bracelet and brooch fragments and other objects that would have been "highly prized objects in their day" which add to research suggesting the northern Pictish kingdoms were powerful kingdoms in the early medieval period.