Early medieval silver hoards in the collection of the National Museum in Szczecin. The history of discovery

Abstract Deposits of early medieval coins and silver jewellery have usually been discovered by accident in the vicinity of forts and settlements located along trade routes. From the moment of their discovery until now – i.e. the last 150 years – treasures uncovered in Pomerania migrated to a variety of institutions, were dispersed, and some disappeared. After numerous vicissitudes of fortune some of them have returned to the museum in Szczecin, today the National Museum, which continues the traditions of the archaeological collection of the pre-war Gesellschaft für Pommersche Geschichte und Altertumskunde and the Pommersches Landesmuseum. The aim of this paper is to present the history and the current state of preservation of selected hoards in the collection of the National Museum in Szczecin and to outline the prospects of studies on silver hoards in interdisciplinary scholarly projects.