Viking-Era Burial Discovered in Southern Norway

SETESDAL, NORWAY—According to a Live Science report, an 1,100-year-old grave has been discovered in a backyard in southern Norway. The homeowners first found an oblong slab, and then the hilt of a sword, prompting them to alert the local authorities. Agder County archaeologist Joakim Wintervoll said that there is no record of a grave mound on the property, and no human remains have been recovered. The shape of the sword, he added, suggests that it dates to the late ninth century or early tenth century. A long spear, or lance; glass beads; a gilded belt buckle; and a bronze brooch were also found in the grave, which is thought to have belonged to a Viking warrior. “The lance suggests that this was someone that was proficient in combat from horseback,” Wintervoll explained. The jewelry also suggests the warrior was “definitely someone of means,” he added. A nearly identical grave was found on a nearby farm in the 1930s, although it is unclear if the two burials are connected in any way. The burials may have been a way to mark ownership of property, or may have had a family significance, Wintervoll concluded. To read about sword hilts protruding from the earth at a Viking cemetery in Sweden, go to "Standing Swords."