Tag: Viking Age

How old is Norse mythology?

Are there myths in Norse mythology that trace back to an ancient Indo-European heritage from thousands of years ago?

Norwegian theory about iconic Danish runestone is absurd, according to runologist

Critics are not merciful towards the theory that Denmark's national icon, the large Jelling stone, is not from the Viking Age.

The Vikings also used crampons to avoid slipping on ice

Crampons have been used in Norway for over 1,000 years. Espen Kutschera has tested Viking-era crampons.

Denmark's iconic runestone from the Viking Age may not actually be from the Viking Age, claims a Norwegian archaeologist

The large Jelling stone was commissioned by a bishop in the 1100s. Not by Viking King Harald Bluetooth in the late 900s, according to researcher Håkon Glørstad.

Here’s what archaeologists found in 2024: Child graves, silver treasure from the Viking Age, and perhaps Norway's first stone church

Here’s what archaeologists found in 2024: Child graves in Østfold, silver treasure from the Viking Age and perhaps Norway's first stone church

The past year has been marked by fewer excavations compared to previous years. But archaeologists have still made some great discoveries. Here is 2024's top list.

Iron Age grave in Western Norway confirmed – among the largest in the Nordic countries

Archaeologists have suspected it for many years, but now an enormous grave from the Iron Age in Western Norway has been confirmed via ground-penetrating radar. However, what it contains remains a mystery.

Here lies the foundation of how farmers became Vikings

To travel abroad, a farming community needed a surplus. They found that in iron.

Found jewellery and a unique coin: Three women were buried here during the Viking Age

On a small rocky knoll on the west coast of Norway, archaeologists have uncovered a rich burial ground from the Viking Age.

What happened to the Vikings' slaves?

ASK A RESEARCHER: Up to 25 per cent of the population during the Viking Age were thralls.

Norwegian archaeology find of the year: The remains of this Viking ship

Archaeologists discovered several traces of an enormous Viking ship at the Myklebust burial mound. They also found a message in a bottle from the person who first excavated here, 150 years ago.

Rune stick and game piece with runic inscriptions found in eastern Norway

What kind of game were people playing at the Tønsberg harbour with this piece, 800 years ago?

Longhouse and Viking grave likely found in western Norway

Archaeologists have discovered remains of what is likely a Viking Age longhouse, along with a Viking grave.

New images of the shipwreck lying over 400 metres deep in Norway's largest lake

Two years ago, a wreck appeared on sonar images from Lake Mjøsa. Researchers now know more about what type of vessel this might have been.

Why was there a such huge amount of down in the Oseberg Viking ship?

The down found in the ship could have filled at least 31 duvets. An archaeology professor has a theory about what it might have been used for.

Are the remains of Norway's largest Viking ship located here?

A chieftain was buried here over 1,200 years ago. Is this Norway's largest Viking ship?

It has been 150 years since the Myklebust burial mound was first excavated, revealing traces of a massive Viking ship. Now, archaeologists have returned to the site.

Nine men who may have been sacrificed – modern technology aims to uncover more from the Oseberg tapestries

Nine men who may have been sacrificed – modern technology aims to uncover more from the Oseberg Viking tapestries

Over 100 tapestry fragments were found in the Viking burial mound.Researchers are now using modern technology to restore the motifs.

Researchers have uncovered an ancient mountain shack used by Viking Age travellers in Norway

The most surprising discovery is how much of a mess they made with their food inside the shack, says an archaeologist.

New discovery of Viking treasure: “This is undoubtedly the most significant event of my career”

The Viking treasure was buried under what was presumably the thralls’ house.

A 1,300-year-old arrow and horse dung have emerged from a melting Norwegian glacier

“It’s a type of arrow that is very, very rare,” researcher says.

Ancient artefacts resurface as mountain snow melts. Archaeologists urge hikers to stay alert

Due to unusually low snow levels in the mountains this year, archaeologists predict that ancient artefacts will surface in the mountains of Western Norway. They are urging people to stay alert for these findings.

New study: Norwegian Vikings were more barbaric than Danish Vikings

Norwegian Vikings possessed more weapons and sustained more weapon-related injuries than their Danish counterparts. “The risk of dying from violence was significantly higher in Norway than in Denmark,” researcher says.

Archaeologists' most exciting finds: Found traces of Sámi settlement in the Viking Age

It has been difficult to prove that there were Sámi in central Norway at the start of the Viking Age. But then Harald Bugge Midthjell and his colleagues made a discovery.

We need ambitions for an iconic Viking Age Museum

OPINION: A modern museum must secure the collection, but also facilitate dissemination and research.

Archaeologists sound the alarm: Urgent action needed to preserve the Gjellestad Ship remains

Archaeologists sound the alarm: Urgent action needed to preserve this Norwegian Viking ship

Under layers of sand and soil, a Viking ship is rotting away.

New Viking ship discovered in Norway

A large boat or perhaps a ship, archaeologists initially said. Now they are certain. There was once a Viking ship buried at Jarlsberg.

3,000 Viking swords have been found in Norway

A vast collection of 700 swords will soon be displayed at the NTNU University Museum.

Was the Oseberg Viking wagon drivable? New methods are constantly uncovering new details about Norway's oldest vehicle

The wagon is the only one of its kind from Norway’s Viking Age, but the wood is dry and brittle. Since 1904, it has been documented with the best technology available.

The Oseberg Viking ship is still shrouded in mystery

Why was this Viking ship crushed with stones – and moored – before it was buried?

In addition to being crushed, the ship was moored. Despite being on land.

This bucket remained buried in a Viking grave for 1,000 years, but is in excellent condition

The figure on the bucket looks like a Buddha, but is from an ancient Celtic death ritual. It then ended up in a Norwegian Viking grave.

Top Norwegian archaeological finds of 2023: Viking ships, gold treasures, and 4,000-year-old skeletons

Many finds are described as spectacular, unique, unusual, and sensational. But some are still more striking than others. Here are the top archaeological finds of the year.

Melting ice near Norway's highest mountain reveals horse bridle that could stem from the Viking Age

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient bridle and other artifacts from a mountain pass almost 2,000 meters above sea level.

Here’s what the archaeologists found in the Viking grave the Heiland-family discovered in their garden

The sword that popped out of the earth in southern Norway may have revealed a double burial. After two days of intense excavations archaeologists have unearthed lots of jewellery, an axe and a shield. And perhaps a frying pan. And a pet rock.

The couple were just extending their house: Found a grave from the Viking Age in their garden

That thing sticking up from the earth, which looked a bit like the blade of a sword, turned out to be exactly that. From the Viking Age.

New studies are upending our ideas about Viking shields

The shields from the Gokstad Viking ship were not only made for burial rituals and as decorations. Evidence indicates that they were used in battle, according to a Danish archaeologist.

This brooch became high fashion during the late Viking and Middle Age

The number of Urnes style brooches found in Norway have more than doubled in the past decade, most likely due to an increase of metal detectorists.

New discovery of a Viking ship in Norway

A 20-metre-long Viking ship has been discovered using georadar on a mound previously believed to be empty. “This is a spectacular find which sheds light on the earliest Viking kings”, says archaeologist Håkon Reiersen.

The supplier of display cases for the new Viking Age Museum is being sued by another museum. Then NASA got involved

Fragile objects are safe in the new displays, the Norwegian Directorate of Public Construction and Property (Statsbygg) and the National Museum assure us. The latter already uses display cases from this supplier.

The Vikings traveled a lot. How did they manage to talk to people?

How did they communicate without learning languages in school or having access to dictionaries?

Vikings tagged the great lion in Venice with runes

Hundreds or thousands of Norwegian and Swedish Vikings went to the Mediterranean for ‘summer jobs’ as mercenaries. They left behind graffiti.

The building of a new Museum of the Viking Age in Oslo has officially begun

Ola Borten Moe, Minister of Research and Higher Education in Norway, did the honours of putting the first shovel – or rather excavator – in the ground.

The Vikings likely brought horses and dogs with them on their voyages to England

“Very nice to get some archaeological flesh on that bone,” says Professor Jan Bill.

Now we know who the Vikings had children with

DNA evidence from Norway points above all to Britain and Ireland rather than people from the north-east. But a lot of this hereditary material has mysteriously almost disappeared after the Viking Age.

40-tonne steel rigs will protect the Viking ships during the building of a new Viking Age museum in Oslo

The Viking ships have remained in the same place since they were first put on display. Now they are being moved, with comprehensive security measures in place to ensure they are not damaged.

The world's most modern Viking ship can parallel park

You probably haven’t heard of electric Viking ships before. Old meets new in ‘Saga Farmann’ — and the Vikings would probably approve, being the innovators that they were.

Viking grave discovered in the middle of Norway's capital Oslo

A grave with the remains of a shield and a cape buckle were uncovered during the construction of a new house this autumn. It is the first Viking grave rich in artefacts that archaeologists have excavated in Oslo.

The Princess from Kyiv was Norway's last Viking queen

Harald Hardrada became the last Viking king of Norway. Ellisiv from today's Ukraine was his queen.

A ski from the Viking Age melted out of the ice in 2014. A few years later the second ski in the pair appeared

The skis are the best-preserved pair from prehistoric times in the world. But who was trying to cross a mountain pass during winter in the 8th century, and why did they lose their skis? More clues may yet melt out of the ice to tell the story.

One Viking’s lost silver treasure discovered by metal detector enthusiast

46 pieces of silver from the Viking age were recently discovered in a field in mid-Norway. “It’s an exceptional find,” says archaeologist.

How do you build a Viking ship? These woodworkers are joined by researchers on their third Viking ship project

The prow of a Viking ship rises over Vikingodden in Tønsberg, Norway. The ‘Gokstad ship’ is being rebuilt.

Every Viking owned a stone like this - and they traded massive quantities of them too

Whetstones are one of the most common finds from the Viking Age. What looks like a simple stone however, tells the tale of extensive trading systems - and perhaps even the reason for why the Vikings started raiding overseas.

Found a Viking sword in the backyard

It wasn't a couple of pieces of an old rusty plow. It was a Viking sword.

The last person who touched this three-bladed arrowhead was a Viking

“We have never found an arrowhead like this before”, the glacial archaeologists from Secrets of the Ice in Norway recently reported on their Facebook-page.

New Viking Age jewellery find delivered to archaeological museum on a platter

The typical Viking Age women’s jewellery had been collecting dust in somebody’s living room for decades. Until last week, when it was all of a sudden delivered by an anonymous source at the Museum of Archaeology in Stavanger.

This gold ring once belonged to a powerful Viking Chief. It was found in a pile of cheap jewellery auctioned off online

The heavy, shiny gold ring stood out. And no wonder. It once belonged to a powerful Viking chief.

No more delays for the new Museum of the Viking Age

About a month ago, the Museum of the Viking Age was asked to cut costs by NOK 1 billion. Now the government has allocated NOK 700 million to them instead.

University rector says Viking ships may collapse in 5 or 50 years if new museum is delayed

The future is still uncertain for Norway’s Viking ships after budget agreement.

Researchers have started a petition to save the Norwegian Viking ships

“This is a desperate cry to the government,” says one of the archaeologists behind the petition.

New report: Budget cuts put 1200 year old Viking ships at risk of being destroyed

Cutting costs means risking Norway’s greatest cultural heritage and largest tourist attraction. “We cannot allow this,” says Svein Stølen, rector at the University of Oslo.

Unique sword from the Viking Age found in Stavanger

Metal detector enthusiasts in Norway have found a unique type of Viking Age sword with spectacular ornamentation.

The Viking Ships can’t wait

OPINION: Each day that construction is delayed, valuable time in the race to preserve this cultural heritage is wasted. The government should not mess about at this point - it should guarantee steady progress of the project.

The planned new Viking Age Museum in Oslo told to cut a billion NOK

The Norwegian Minister of Research, Ola Borten Moe from the Centre Party, has delivered a clear message: The cost of building a new Viking Age museum in Oslo must be reduced by a billion NOK.

A lost Viking town discovered in the 1950s is stored away in this basement

Not until recently have researchers really started studying a thousand-year-old Norwegian town we know surprisingly little about.

Why was this flimsy Roman-looking sandal buried beneath the snow in an ancient, dangerous Norwegian mountain pass?

“It looks almost like a sandal. It’s pretty astonishing, we’re up here at almost 2000 metres, and we find a shoe with fashion elements, similar to those found on the Continent at the time,” says glacial archaeologist Espen Finstad.

No, the Vikings didn't wear helmets with horns

But 2,000 years before the Vikings – in the Bronze Age – horned helmets existed.

Did this Viking helmet belong to a Norwegian warrior who served rulers in the East?

New interpretations of the so-called Gjermundbu find suggest that the Viking buried in one of Norway's richest male warrior graves had ties to great rulers in Eastern Europe.

The 12 most exciting finds from the Gjellestad Viking ship dig

A large amber bead, an axe placed under the ship, 25 horse teeth and pieces of wood that will tell us exactly when it sailed are among the results from Norway’s first excavation of a monumental Viking ship burial in a century.

Huge longhouse found near the Gjellestad Viking ship – one of the largest in Scandinavia

The finding confirms what the researchers already believed – that this place was a significant site of power during the Iron and Viking Ages.

This piece of wood will help archaeologists reconstruct the grand Gjellestad Viking ship

It will tell us exactly when the ship sailed the seas, as well as how it sailed.

The Viking version of Assassin’s Creed is surprisingly violent, according to researcher

The game is part of an explosion of popular culture created around a contemporary idea of Vikings and Norse mythology, where violence often plays a large part.

Why do we love the Vikings so much?

Violent vikings might be the ones we see in movies and on TV, but Vikings are also popular today because they represent a return to our roots and nature, researchers claim.

Vikings had a completely different relationship to animals than we have today

The Vikings and their ancestors looked at animals with awe and admiration, researchers at the Museum of Cultural History say.

Does the story of Beowolf explain the Oseberg, Gjellestad and Sutton Hoo ships?

The new Netflix film “The Dig” tells the story of the excavation of the Sutton Hoo ship in England. A Norwegian professor believes that a 1500-year-old poem can explain why a number of large ships were buried during the Viking Age.

Viking women played an important role in raids

Kitchen equipment from the British Isles has been found in graves belonging to Viking women from aristocratic families. “We can gain new knowledge about women’s participation in the Viking raids by posing new questions to old findings,” says researcher.