Curmsun Disc

The Curmsun Disc - Obverse

Curmsun Disc is a concave golden disc of a weight of 25.23 grams (0.890 oz) and a diameter of 4.5 centimetres (1.8 in). The Danish Viking king, Harald Bluetooth, is mentioned in the inscription of the disc. The Curmsun Disc has an insured value amounting to 3.5 MEUR.

Origin

The church in Wiejkowo

In autumn 2014 an eleven year old schoolgirl, Maja Sielski, brought the Curmsun Disc to her school when the teacher asked her to take the object to a museum.[1]

Maja Sielski received the Curmsun Disc besides some other antiquities from her great grandmother, Stanislawa Sielski. The Sielski family moved to Sweden from Poland in 1986 with the antiquities.

The Curmsun Disc was found during the construction of a church in Weckow (since 1945 Wiejkowo) in the year 1841. The church was built on the ruins of an old medieval chapel and other items were found as well as part of a hoard. The location of the hoard is unknown between 1841 and 1946 but the hoard could have been stored in the new built church in Weckow after it was handed over to the vicar by the local landlord, the family von Ploetz.

1945 the territory of eastern Germany was taken over by Soviet Military and Poland, the population was expelled and Polish people were brought in. Between 1946 and 1947 the hoard appeared once again. It was a Polish officer, Major Stefan Sielski, who acquired the hoard from a German vicar in Weckow, now renamed Wiejkowo. The acquired hoard and some other antiquities were stored in a chest bearing the coat of arms of the von Ploetz family and the name of Weckow (Wiejkowo). Two brothers of the von Ploetz family died during deportation of Germans. The vicar and his family were about to be deported to the Russian occupation zone, but Major Sielski helped them to get a transfer to the British-American zone <was the vicar a 3. Ploetz brother? ref?>

The main part of the hoard was soon hidden by the Major Sielski's brother Michael Sielski and only the Curmsun Disc, a silver coin from Otto I's reign, two bracelets in bronze and a small stamped piece of gold from the hoard were taken to Sweden.[2]

Interpretation

The Curmsun Disc - Reverse

Researchers have interpreted the inscription on the obverse as: "+ARALD CVRMSVN+ REX AD TANER+SCON+JVMN+CIV ALDIN+".

A translation of the inscription reads: "Harald Gormsøn king of Danes, Scania, Jomsborg, town Aldinburg".

On the reverse there is an octagonal ridge, which runs around the edge of the object. In the center of the octagonal ridge there is a Latin cross. There are four dots around the Latin cross. Similar dot markings are common on coins, even on coins from the late 900s. The four dots could possibly symbolize the four evangelists, whose symbols in the Middle Ages had strong associations with the Christ symbolism of the cross.[3]

Dating Theories

Around 960s - Harald Bluetooth's Second Marriage

Danish anthropologist, Karen Schousboe, believes that the Curmsun Disc could have been a wedding gift during Harald Bluetooth´s second marriage, created in the 960s. K. Schousboe also sees a connection to 10th-12th century Byzantine talismans.[4]

Around 986 - Harald Bluetooth's Death

According to a theory by Swedish archeologist Sven Rosborn the Curmsun Disc may have been created by a Frankish monk in connection with Harald Bluetooth´s death.[5]

Around 1100 – Harald Bluetooth Canonized?

According to a theory in an article in the magazine Siden Saxo (published by Danish National Archives) written by Danish archivist Steffen Harpsøe the disc may have been created by local priests around Jomsborg and Wiejkowo between 1050-1125. There is a possibility that the missionaries in the area canonized Harald Bluetooth and made the Curmsun Disc as a symbolic ornament. S. Harpsøe sees a connection between the Curmsun Disc and Byzantine seals and coins where the inscription are made in horizontal lines and the form could be concave.[6]

Authenticity

Metallurgical Analysis

The Curmsun Disc underwent metallurgical analysis at the University of Lund in Sweden. The analysis showed that the alloy has a gold content ranging between 83,3-92,8%.[7]

Reference Objects

The find consists of five objects today: a silver coin from Otto I's reign, a bracelet in bronze with a dash decoration covering the surface, a fragment of another bronze bracelet, a small stamped piece of gold and the Curmsun Disc itself.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Jakobsson, H. Skånska Dagbladet, November 11, 2014
  2. ↑ The Curmsun Disc website – The Story
  3. ↑ Rosborn, S. (2014) A unique object from Harald Bluetooth´s time? Malmö: Pilemedia, pp. 4-5
  4. ↑ Schousboe, K. (2014) Harold Bluetooth’s Talisman – A Sensational Find? Or Fake? Medieval Stories
  5. ↑ Rosborn, S. (2014) A unique object from Harald Bluetooth´s time? Malmö: Pilemedia, pp. 10-11
  6. ↑ Harpsøe, S. (2015), Haraldsguldet – en mystisk guldskive fra fortiden, Siden Saxo No. 4 - 2015, Odense: Syddansk Universitetsforlag, ISSN 0109-6028, pp. 25-27
  7. ↑ The Curmsun Disc website – Metallurgical Analysis
  8. ↑ Rosborn, S. (2014) A unique object from Harald Bluetooth´s time? Malmö: Pilemedia, p. 1
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