The Galloway Viking Hoard (GVH) Campaign wants to see the finds finally displayed in a dedicated exhibition space at a new gallery in Kirkcudbright where they would have pride of place, while boosting tourism in the area.
Their petitions have attracted more than 5000 signatures and there have been hundreds of messages of support from across the country and from overseas.
A letter backing the campaign has been signed by the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry KBE, Dame Barbara Kelly DBE FRIAS, Sir Alex Fergusson, Sir Malcolm Ross GCVO, Sir John Thomson GCMG, Richard Arkless MP and Professor E J Cowan FRSE.
The petition calls on Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop MSP to help ensure the hoard returns home to Galloway.
Campaign chair Cathy Agnew said: “The message from Galloway, Scotland and around the world is very clear – the hoard was buried in Galloway for safekeeping 1000 years ago and that is where its home should be.
“We have huge support from the general public, academics, politicians of all parties and many others. It would be a travesty if their voices were ignored.”
The hoard was discovered at an undisclosed location in Galloway by a metal detectorist in 2014. It includes more than 100 gold and silver objects, including a unique gold bird-shaped pin, an enameled Christian cross, decorated Anglo-Saxon brooches, armbands and an engraved Carolingian silver vessel. The items are thought to come from across Europe – there are even fragments of Byzantine silk.
A vital meeting takes place on Thursday at which the Scottish Archaeological Finds Allocation Panel (SAFAP) is due to make its final recommendation on the two bids for the hoard – one for its home to be in Kirkcudbright and the other for it to be held by National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh.
