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The Independent
3 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
5 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.
