It's been a good year for metal detectors. From giant iron age treasure To tens of thousands of ancient coins And 19th century shipwreckIt's amazing that everyone isn't treasure hunting. And now we can add one more discovery to this list.
Archaeologists in Norway have unearthed the grave of a Viking Age man adorned with costumes and jewelry, according to reports. Norwegian Science and Technology Newsa publication that publishes research news from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the Scandinavian research group SINTEF.
The team began their work after metal detectorist Roy Soreng discovered an oval brooch in Trøndelag County and contacted researchers. Since then, they have been secretly excavating to preserve the area and its archaeological treasures.
“The Viking Age grave contains what we believe to be a woman buried in a typical Viking Age costume and set of jewelry from the 800s,” Raymond Sauvage, chief engineer of the NTNU Museum's Department of Archeology and Cultural History, told the publication. “This indicates that she was a free and probably married woman, perhaps a farm owner.” Sauvage also works as an archaeological research project manager.
The grave contains skeletal remains, two oval brooches (including the one found by Söreng) that are attached to the straps of a dress with suspenders, and a ring buckle used to close the hole at the neck of the petticoat. However, the most notable feature is the two scallop shells that partially covered the deceased's mouth. Although scallop shells were a Christian symbol associated with the cult of St. James in the Middle Ages, they are extremely rare in pre-Christian graves.
“This is a practice that has not previously been known in pre-Christian graves in Norway. We do not yet know what this symbolism means,” Sauvage explained. He and his team also found bird bones, likely wing bones, along the grave. According to Norwegian Science and Technology NewsIt is likely that the bird shells and bones were intended to convey symbolic meaning to the people observing the burial.
The excavation follows a previous discovery of an intact skeleton recorded in the same year in the same field. The newly discovered individual is likely one to three generations younger, according to Hannah Breen, research director in the Department of Archeology and Cultural History.
“During the inspection, we quickly realized that we were dealing with a new skeletal grave that was in serious danger of being damaged during the next plowing,” explained Breen. Fortunately, landowner Arve Innstrand allowed the excavations to continue.
Next comes the analysis. “We will examine the skeleton, preserve the objects and take samples for dating and DNA analysis. The goal is to learn more about the individual and possible relationships with a previous find from the same location,” Sauvage said. Researchers are also examining body growth, gender characteristics and potential traces of disease.
PopSci Gift Guide for 2025
