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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Archaeologists Unearth Extremely Rare Viking Burial
Archaeologists in Norway have unearthed the Viking burial of a high-status woman who was buried with her dog in a boat, Science in Norway reported. The grave was first excavated in 2022 after its discovery by metal detectorists. On top of the tomb was an assortment of jewelry closely associated with Viking women. As scientists dug deeper, they discovered an 18-foot-long boat made of joint wooden planks, which contained the body of a woman and her dog. Around her body were items which researchers believe nodded to her status in the community and a rich domestic life, such as a ring-shaped pendant, a weaving sword carved from whale bone, bone and amber beads, a spindle whorl, a whetstone, and an iron sickle. The latter objects, scientists say, indicate the woman had a hand in textile production during her life. "Only the elite would receive a burial like this,' said lead archaeologist Anja Roth Nemi. 'Perhaps only one or two individuals per generation were honored this way.' The small dog, situated at the woman's feet, 'appears to have been placed with real care,' she explained. 'We know from saga literature that Vikings valued their dogs deeply. This suggests a personal bond that transcended death." Some textiles were also recovered within the skeleton of the boat, which remained terrifically well-preserved, as did the woman's body and that of her dog. The soil and sand of northern Norway are particularly rich in lime, which, in addition to the country's chilly climate, helped preserve the remarkable find for more than 1,000 years after the burial. Niemi and her colleagues will continue to analyze the woman's remains to determine her exact age at the time of death, as well as her diet and any possible ailments. "It's a humbling experience," Niemi said. "We get very close to those who lived long ago. This woman walked the Earth over a thousand years ago, and yet here she is, telling us her story."Archaeologists Unearth Extremely Rare Viking Burial first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 11, 2025
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.
