In Norway, archaeologists have found what is probably the oldest ship burial of the Viking Age
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Archaeologists analyzed the found ship rivets and wood from Herlaugshagen barrow in Norway.
They found out that these finds were part of a Viking-era ship, writes Live Science with a message to the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the Foundation for Industrial and Technical Research (SINTEF).
Scientists explored a coastal area in central Norway in the summer and found wooden remains and metal rivets.
“The size of the ship’s rivets and the wood around them indicate good preservation conditions for these ‘artifacts’. This is the largest barrow in Trendelag (Central Norway) and one of the largest in Norway”,” said Geir Grønnesby, an NTNU archaeologist who led the study.
| Photo of the mound: Geir Grønnesby |
The scientists came to the conclusion that the mound with a diameter of 60 meters and a height of 7 meters “could easily fit a ship”.
After radiocarbon analysis of the preserved wood, archaeologists determined that the ship was built around 700 AD. This means that it was created during the Viking Age, which spanned the years 793-1066.
“What is unique about the barrow is the early dating of the ship burial. The earliest ship burials are dated to the late 8th century. The find helps bridge the gap between the Scandinavian tradition of burying people in ships and the famous Sutton Hoo find in England, which dates to the 7th century“, Gronnesby said.
Local records indicate that this place was repeatedly excavated during the 18th century. Then the researchers found part of the wall, iron nails, a bronze teapot, animal bones, a layer of charcoal and a sitting skeleton with a sword. However, in the 1920s, all these items were lost.
However, a new study of wood and rivets is forcing archaeologists to reconsider the history of ship burials in the region.
“The discovery was made further north than many previously known monumental ship burials. It also tells us that maritime knowledge and contacts over large areas were standard long before the Viking Age.” – added the scientist.
However, more research is needed to build a complete picture of what the ship may have looked like and its purpose.
“Since we haven’t excavated the entire ship, it’s hard to say what it was used for. The ships we know of are believed to be ships used for plunder and warfare. However, we know that the exchange of goods must have been extensive at this time, and the most logical that goods were transported by ships along the coast”– added the archaeologist and head of the research.
It will be recalled that in April, scientists reported on a ship from the Viking era, which was dated approximately to 820 AD.
Read also: 13 years of research: in Italy, archaeologists unearthed the remains of a Roman city
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