CAMPAIGNERS fighting to help keep the Viking Hoard treasure in its homeland of Galloway are still awaiting news of its fate – days after a decision was supposed to have been made on whether its permanent home will be in Kirkcudbright or the National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh.
The second meeting of the Scottish Archaeological Finds Allocation Panel (SAFAP) was due to decide on the hoard’s future on Thursday but both bidders are still waiting for an answer. The fact the decision has to go before the Queen’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer for approval could be to blame for the delay.
Dumfries and Galloway Council want one of the most spectacular Viking hoards ever discovered in Scotland to have its home near the site in Stewartry where it was buried more than 1000 years ago and found in 2014, but there is a rival bid from the National Museums.
Galloway Viking Hoard Campaign chairwoman Cathy Agnew said it is a “real David and Goliath” battle but insisted it is only right that the hoard takes pride of place in a specially created exhibition space in the new Kirkcudbright Art Gallery.
The campaign group was set up to support Dumfries and Galloway Council’s bid for the hoard to remain in the area and Agnew said it was likely there will be an appeal if the council loses out.
She said: “I suspect if Dumfries and Galloway is not allocated the find, an appeal is highly likely, but we will just have to wait and see what happens.”
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