Man with metal detector stumbles on perplexing Viking Age grave
It was a good year for metal detectors. Whether it’s a giant Iron Age treasure, tens of thousands of ancient coins, or a 19th century shipwreck, it’s surprising that not everyone tries their hand at treasure hunting. And now there’s yet another discovery to add to the list.
Archaeologists in Norway have excavated the grave of a Viking-era individual, dressed in costumes and jewelry, as reported Norwegian science newsa media outlet 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 Søreng discovered an oval pin in Trøndelag county and contacted the researchers. Since then, they have been excavating in secret to preserve the area and its archaeological riches.
“The Viking Age tomb contains what we believe to be a woman, buried with a typical Viking Age costume and a set of jewelry dating back to the 800s,” said Raymond Sauvage, chief engineer at the NTNU Museum’s Department of Archeology and Cultural History. “This indicates that she was a free and probably married woman, perhaps the mistress of the farm.” Sauvage also works as a project manager for archaeological studies.
The grave includes skeletal remains, two oval brooches (including the one found by Søreng) that attached to the straps of a slip dress, and a ring buckle used to close the neck opening of a petticoat. The most remarkable element, however, lies in the two scallop shells which partly covered the mouth of the deceased. If scallops were a Christian symbol linked to the cult of Saint James in the Middle Ages, they are extremely rare in pre-Christian tombs.
“This is a practice that was not previously known in pre-Christian graves in Norway. We do not yet know what the symbolism means,” Sauvage explained. He and his team also identified bird bones, likely wing bones, along the grave. According to Norwegian science newsthe shells and bird bones were likely intended to communicate symbolic meaning to those observing the burial.
The excavation follows the previous discovery of an intact skeleton, recorded that same year on the same field. According to Hanne Bryn, a field supervisor also in the Department of Archeology and Cultural History, the newly discovered individual is likely one to three generations younger.
“During the inspection, we quickly realized that we were facing a new skeletal grave that was at serious risk of being damaged during the next plowing,” Bryn explained. Fortunately, landowner Arve Innstrand allowed the excavation 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 person and possible relationship to the previous discovery from the same location,” Sauvage said. Researchers will also study size, sex-determining traits and potential traces of disease.
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