3-074-726 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

A Viking's tomb, lately discovered at Taplow Court, near Maidenhead, 1883. '1. Relative positions of the Mound and the Manor House, Taplow Court. 2. The Excavation, Grave at A, 30 ft. from surface. 3. The Old Yew-tree in 1882, from photograph by Mr. J. Rutland. 4. Silver Armlet found in the Grave. 5. Gold Band. 6. Gold Wristlet. 7. Gold Waist Buckle. 8. Gold Buckle. 9. Part of Bucket. 10. Ornaments from Shield. 11, 13, 14. British Pottery. 12. Samian Ware. 15. Part of Drinking Horn...a discovery of the greatest antiquarian interest has recently been made...[it is] the tomb of [a Norse Viking, or marauding chieftain from Norway], evidently Scandinavian...The earth was found to contain...fragments of Roman-British pottery, including Samian ware, which the Romans largely imported into Britain...All doubt as to the nature of the interment was set at rest by finding...a magnificent gold fibula...Over the middle of the interment was a large pile of archaeological treasure...it is almost impossible to define accurately the race to whom the dead chieftain belonged, or the date of the interment...So complete an example of the method of interment of these early invaders of Britain has probably never been found in the southern counties of England'. From "Illustrated London News", 1883.