Latest news with #AnjaRothNiemi
Gizmodo
2 hours ago
- Science
- Gizmodo
Metal Detectorist Discovers Rare Boat Grave Containing Viking Woman and Her Dog
The saying goes that a dog is a man's best friend, but an archaeological excavation in Norway proves that women care about their four-legged companions just as much as men do, even 1,100 years ago. Archaeologists from the Arctic University Museum of Norway have revealed a 10th-century Viking boat grave on the Norwegian island of Senja. The buried individual is likely a woman who belonged to an elite class, as Science Norway first reported. Most notably, the team found a dog carefully buried at her feet. 'It appears to have been placed with real care,' Anja Roth Niemi, a museum archaeologist who presumably took part in the excavation, told Science Norway. 'There are stories of prominent people doing everything in their power when their dog became ill. So even back then, people had deep bonds with their animals.' A metal detectorist first discovered brooches and bone remains at the site just 7.9 inches (20 centimeters) beneath the ground two years ago. Suspecting the presence of a Viking woman's burial, the Arctic University Museum of Norway applied for permission to investigate and were finally able to conduct a proper excavation when the landowner decided to expand a garage on the property. 'After the upper layer of soil was removed, it became clear that this was a boat grave,' the museum wrote in a social media post. 'The decayed wood from the boat was visible as a thin dark strip in the subsoil, with the site where the bowl brooches were found approximately in the middle.' The work revealed a 17.7-foot-long (5.4-meter) boat in which a Viking woman and a dog were buried alongside objects associated with elite burials, including bone or amber beads, a pendant, and ornate brooches, according to Science Norway. This is not the first time archaeologists have found dog remains alongside Viking ones, but it provides further proof that dogs were prized companions even 1,100 years ago. The brooches' design—oval with silver thread—helped the team date the grave to approximately 900 to 950 CE, as reported by Science Norway. They also indicate that the buried individual was a woman, given that oval brooches were usually Viking women's jewelry, though only bone analysis can confirm this beyond a doubt. Furthermore, the boat grave and grave goods altogether suggest that the woman was a high-class individual. 'Only the elite would receive a burial like this,' Niemi told Science Norway. Niemi and her colleagues also uncovered agricultural tools and textile instruments, the latter of which further associate the burial with Viking womanhood. Further analyses will confirm the individual's sex and shed light on her age, height, diet, and health, while also offering more insight into Viking burial traditions. Moreover, after discovering another brooch not too far from the burial, the archaeologists hope to continue investigating the area in the hopes of finding another grave. According to the museum's post, the last days of the excavation were spent 'recording all the contents of the grave and securing them for transport and storage until they can be examined in detail under controlled conditions at the laboratory in Tromsø.' It is my hope that they keep the woman and her pet together in Tromsø, so that the dog can continue guarding its owner in the afterlife as it likely did when they were both alive.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Science
- The Independent
Amateur metal detectorists discover 1,100-year-old Viking remains
Archaeologists in Norway have discovered the 10th-century remains of a Viking woman buried in a boat grave with her dog, indicating elite status. The burial, found on Senja Island by amateur metal detectorists, included a 5.5m-long ship containing bronze brooches, weaving tools, and other artefacts dating back to 900-950 AD. Archaeologist Anja Roth Niemi noted that such boat burials were reserved for the elite, with the woman's grave goods differing from those found in male Viking boat burials. Researchers believe the woman was an important figure with significant social status, as indicated by the unique artefacts and burial practices. Further analysis of the bones aims to confirm the woman's identity, reveal details about her life, and provide insights into the society she lived in. Viking woman from over 1,100 years ago found buried with her dog and boat
The Independent
4 days ago
- Science
- The Independent
Viking woman from over 1,100 years ago found buried with her dog and boat
Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a 10th-century Viking woman in Norway who was buried in a boat grave along with her pet dog, shedding more light on special funerary rituals reserved for elite Vikings. The boat burial was a Viking funeral practice that involved placing the dead person in a ship, usually with gifts like jewellery or weapons and other objects. It is thought to have been reserved for people of high status. One such burial was found when amateur metal detectorists came across partially exposed bronze brooches in the dirt in Norway 's remote Senja Island in 2023. A little digging revealed rib bones sticking out of the ground, prompting the metal detectorists to contact Norway's Arctic University Museum. Archaeologists subsequently concluded that it was a Viking boat burial for an elite woman who lived over 1,100 years ago. The woman was found laid to rest in a 5.5m-long burial ship, placed roughly in the middle with the head facing north, along with a pet dog and artefacts like bronze brooches, spindle whorls, and weaving and agricultural tools. The remains of a dog were found carefully placed at the feet of the deceased. Archaeologist Anja Roth Niemi told Science Norway that "only the elite would receive a burial like this". 'The boat is rather poorly preserved, but we can still confirm that it has been approximately 5.4 meters long and that the boat tables have mainly been joined together without iron nails - that is, a sewn boat,' the Arctic University Museum said. 'As burial goods, she has brought with her an iron saw, a slate brow, a possible bronze earring, two plate-shaped pearls possibly of amber, and what appears to be a tissue sword of whale bones.' Researchers dated the artefacts taken from the grave site to 900-950AD. Such artefacts have not been found in a male boat burial, prompting researchers to conclude that the remains most likely belonged to a Viking woman. Previously uncovered boat burials of Viking men contained their personal items such as swords, spears, shields or ornate combs. Researchers said further analysis of the bones could confirm whether the remains indeed belonged to a Viking woman, and shed light on the society the person lived in. Most likely, they said, she was an important figure in the community with a high social status. Future research could also reveal her age, height, what she ate, and her status in society. "We'll learn about the kind of work she did, whether she went through periods of poor nutrition, and whether she lived in different places during childhood and adulthood," Dr Niemi said. 'We believe the woman buried here held significant status locally, and perhaps even across the region.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Viking woman buried in ceremonial boat with her dog
In 2023, metal detector enthusiasts scouring Norway's remote Senja Island stumbled across a remarkable archeological find. While searching near a rural road, they noticed a pair of partially exposed bronze brooches sticking out from the dirt. A closer inspection also revealed what appeared to be rib bones barely eight inches below the soil. The amateur metal hunters contacted archeologists at Norway's Arctic University Museum, who upon arriving at the site, ordered a full excavation. Now that recovery work is underway, the team has confirmed the site holds an unexpected scene: a Viking boat grave for a respected local woman buried with her beloved pet dog. '[Her pet] appears to have been placed with real care,' archeologist Anja Roth Niemi told Science Norway. Niemi added that while not unheard of, such a burial companion was rare in Viking culture. The trove dates to around 900–950 CE, and features numerous artifacts in the roughly 18-foot-long burial vessel. Apart from the skeletal remains and ornate bronze brooches, these include agricultural tools, what appears to be a weaving sword made from whale bone, and a spindle whorl indicative of her domestic responsibilities. 'We believe the woman buried here held significant status locally, and perhaps even across the region,' said Niemi. 'She wasn't at the very top of the social ladder, but she was clearly an important figure.' The region where the grave was discovered is particularly well-suited for preserving ancient bodies and archeological items. Accompanying metal artifacts help prevent bacterial growth, while the soil's rich lime and shell sand contents aid in conserving skeletal material. There are signs indicating that more Vikings (and possibly their pets) are buried nearby. In the course of their excavation work, Niemi's team found another brooch located multiple feet beyond the main grave. This suggests other graves may be present. Experts plan to conduct a more expansive survey of the area using ground-penetrating radar and other tools to see if anything else awaits discovery.
Miami Herald
04-06-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Metal detectorists stumble on treasure — and locate Viking boat grave. See it
On a remote island in northern Norway, metal detectorists stumbled upon a pair of bronze treasures. The small artifacts sparked a larger investigation and led archaeologists to find a Viking boat grave of a woman and dog. Metal detectorists visited a low embankment on Senja island a few years ago and unearthed two bronze buckles shaped like bowls. In the process, they also exposed some rib bones, the Arctic University Museum of Norway said in a May 31 Facebook post. Archaeologists initially suspected the site might be a Viking-era grave but didn't know for sure — until now. In May, a team excavated the Senja site and identified it as a roughly 1,000-year-old Viking boat grave, the museum said. Photos show the exposed burial. The wooden boat was about 18 feet long, mostly built without iron rivets and poorly preserved, archaeologists said. In the center of the boat were two skeletons. The larger skeleton belonged to a deceased woman, the museum said. She was buried on her side with her knees bent and her arms in front of her. At her feet is the skeleton of a small dog, possibly her pet or companion. Dog skeletons have been found in Viking graves before but are generally not common, archaeologist Anja Roth Niemi told Science in Norway. Excavations also uncovered an iron sickle, stone tool, bronze pendant, a pair of beads possibly made of amber and a whalebone tool, the museum said. The artifacts suggest the ancient woman was considered high status and important but not among the highest tier of elites, Niemi told Science in Norway. Archaeologists plan to remove the Senja grave's contents, store their finds and eventually analyze the remains in a laboratory, the museum said. Senja is an island off the northern coast of Norway and a roughly 1,000-mile drive northeast from Oslo. Facebook Translate and Google Translate were used to translate the Facebook post from the Arctic University Museum of Norway. Google Translate was also used to translate the article from Science in Norway.
