Latest news with #Viking-era
New York Post
03-07-2025
- General
- New York Post
Rare Christian cross, Viking treasures unearthed — revealing ‘fascinating insights' to past
Advertisement Archaeologists recently unearthed a hoard of early medieval treasures on the banks of an inlet in northern Germany, all thanks to a metal detectorist. The State Archaeology Department of Schleswig-Holstein (ALSH) announced the discovery in a press release in late May. The hoard, dating back roughly 1,000 years, was found on the shores of the Schlei, an inlet in the Baltic Sea. Officials said that the area is near 'the once-significant Viking-era trading post of Haithabu.' The hoard was originally flagged by a metal detectorist named Arjen Spiesswinkel, who reported his finds to the ALSH. Advertisement 'A targeted follow-up search with additional detectorists helped narrow down the location of the find,' the ALSH said in a statement. 5 Archaeologists discovered early medieval treasures in northern Germany with the help of a metal detectorist. ALSH 5 Volunteers dug through the soil, finding over 200 artifacts. ALSH 'Subsequently, a systematic excavation by the ALSH, together with volunteer helpers, recovered the objects.' Advertisement Pictures show focused volunteers digging through the soil in search of the treasure hoard, which consisted of over 200 artifacts. 'In this case, the hoard includes around 200 objects, mostly made of silver, hacksilver, fragments of Arabic coins (dirhams), bar pieces and jewelry,' the statement noted. 5 The items found were 'mostly made of silver, hacksilver, fragments of Arabic coins (dirhams), bar pieces and jewelry,' the statement from The State Archaeology Department of Schleswig-Holstein said. ALSH 5 According to officials, the cross is 'an early testament to the beginning of Christianization in the region.' ALSH Advertisement Officials added, 'Particularly noteworthy is a delicate cross pendant – an early testament to the beginning of Christianization in the region.' 'Particularly noteworthy is a delicate cross pendant – an early testament to the beginning of Christianization in the region.' The ALSH also noted that hoard finds typically consist of 'buried or submerged objects that were either hidden to protect them from others or laid down as offerings.' A ceramic shard and a whetstone were also found at the site, which officials believe may be 'possible indications of a previously unknown settlement.' 5 A ceramic shard and a whetstone were also found at the site. ALSH 'The finds offer fascinating insights into the history of the 10th century, a time of trade, cultural exchange, and religious transformation,' the statement concluded. The Viking Age lasted from roughly 800 A.D. to 1050 A.D., meaning that the hoard dates back to the later part of the era. Advertisement The discovery comes as many recent Viking-related finds have been uncovered across Europe. In Sweden, officials recently announced the discovery of a Viking grave with 'Christian overtones' on the outskirts of Linköping.
New York Post
30-06-2025
- General
- New York Post
Viking-era burial site with elite family treasures and gifts discovered, plus an ‘unusual casket'
Archaeologists recently found an artifact-filled Viking-era burial site in Denmark — revealing treasures that once belonged to an elite family. The discovery was announced by Moesgaard Museum (MOMU), a regional Danish museum, in a June statement. The graveyard was found in the village of Lisbjerg, located north of the major Danish city of Aarhus. Archaeologists found 30 graves containing a vast number of burial gifts, including beads and coins. Ceramics were also found at the site, along with gold thread, scissors and 'an unusual casket with beads,' officials said. The site also retained the bones and teeth of the deceased. In a statement translated from Danish to English, officials noted the graves 'contain a number of spectacular items that may indicate connections to the Danish royal power.' 3 An aerial photo shows archaeologists working at a Viking Age burial site in Lisbjerg on June 13, 2025. AFP via Getty Images They added, 'Aarhus was one of Denmark's most important and oldest cities during the Viking era, serving as a center for the king and international trade … Aros and Lisbjerg were closely connected by the old main road, which ran from the Viking city to the manor.' One discovery of particular interest was a silver-plated oak casket that likely belonged to a high-status woman. The grave contained a brooch, needle and a filigree bead, made by twisting fine threads of metal into ornate designs. Mads Ravn, head of local cultural heritage at MOMU, said the grave site is 'very likely' connected to a Viking-era manor less than a mile away. 3 Conservator Helle Strehle holds a Viking Age silver coin discovered at a Viking Age burial site in Lisbjerg, on June 13, 2025. AFP via Getty Images He noted, 'The items we have found in the graves tell us that those buried were people of high status – it could be the very family from the manor that is buried here.' Kasper H. Andersen, a historian at MOMU, said the recent finds are 'part of a series of previous remarkable discoveries in the Aarhus area.' He added, 'Together, they paint a picture of an aristocratic environment linked to royal power, which was part of the Vikings' extensive and dynamic world.' 3 Conservator Helle Strehle points to x-ray images on a computer screen showing a preserved Viking Age casket discovered at a Viking Age burial site in Lisbjerg, on June 13, 2025. AFP via Getty Images The Viking Age lasted from roughly 800 AD to 1050 AD. Artifacts from that era continue to be discovered throughout Europe by archaeologists and hobbyists alike. In April, Swedish archaeologists announced the discovery of an 'unusual' Viking-era coffin. Before that, two curious metal detectorists found a 1,000-year-old Viking 'wallet' last year.
Scotsman
27-06-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Possible viking boat burial to be excavated in Shetland by Time Team
Time Team will lead an excavation on a suspected Viking boat burial site in Shetland this summer, working in collaboration with local archaeologists and heritage authorities. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The mound, located on private land, first drew attention in 2023 when Shetland County Archaeologist Dr Val Turner observed distinctive features during a routine survey for a housing development. Measuring approximately 22.5 metres, the site has remained undisturbed and has now been granted Scheduled Monument Consent by Historic Environment Scotland. If confirmed, the find would join a small group of known Viking-era boat burials in the UK, which are often linked to individuals of high social standing. Such burials are considered archaeologically significant for what they can reveal about Norse settlement and belief systems during the early medieval period. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Time Team's involvement follows contact from the landowners after the site was flagged. The group previously excavated a disturbed Viking burial in Shetland in 2002, also involving Dr Turner and Norse specialist Dr Colleen Batey, who will return for this project alongside Time Team regulars Dr John Gater, Matt Williams, and Jackie McKinley. Historic Environment Scotland Grants Permission for Time Team-Led Dig Dr Gater and Dr Nick Hannon from Historic Environment Scotland carried out separate surveys in 2023 and 2024, which strengthened the case for a full excavation. Work has since progressed in partnership with the Orkney Research Centre for Archaeology (ORCA), which will join the dig team on-site. As well as examining the mound itself, the team plans to survey the surrounding area to identify related archaeological features. A detailed metal detection and recording operation is also scheduled to secure the site and recover any surface artefacts.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Archaeologists Found a Slab in the Middle of Nowhere—With the Lord's Prayer Carved in It
Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: A rock carving discovered in the Ontario backcountry started a search for the meaning and history of the site in 2019. The carving features what experts now believe to be an 1800s runic interpretation of the Christian Lord's Prayer. The find may be traceable to an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company. In 2018, the toppling of a tree near the township of Wawa, Ontario, revealed a rectangular piece of bedrock (about four feet by nearly five feet) etched with 225 symbols alongside a depiction of a Viking longboat. Eventually, a local historian came across the odd finding—now known as the Wawa Runestone—and reported the find to the Ontario Centre for Archaeological Education (OCARE). You can see the stone here. The team at OCARE, led by archaeologist Ryan Primrose, decided to keep the stone concealed from the public until they could gather more details about its origin. And now, they're finally talking about the object for the first time. 'Well, it's certainly among the least expected finds that I think I've encountered during my career,' Primrose told the CBC. 'It's absolutely fascinating.' Initial research, according to an OCARE statement, showed that the carving was likely written in Futhark characters—a runic script once used in northern Europe and Scandinavia. This led some experts to think that the carving must have been completed as far back as the Viking era, especially considering the second carving of a boat (which resembles a Viking longboat, contains about 16 occupants, and is flanked by several crosses or stars) found adjacent to the script. Primrose, it turns out, was wise to hold off on publicly announcing it as a Viking-era find. In 2019, he brought in Sweden-based expert Henrik Williams, professor emeritus at Uppsala University, to consult on the site. Williams confirmed that the inscription was runic, but disagreed that it was Viking in nature. Williams said that the runic writing was a version of the Christian Lord's Prayer, which had been carved in Futhark. 'The text conforms to the Swedish version of the Lord's Prayer used from the 16th century and is written using a variation of the runic translation developed by Johannes Bureus in the early 17th century.' OCARE stated. 'It must have taken days and days of work,' Williams told the CBC. 'They are really deeply carved into the rock. Someone must have spent a couple of weeks carving this thing.' While tough to pinpoint, OCARE researchers believe the inscription itself dates to the 1800s. Williams believes the creator of the carving had to come from Sweden, and as Primrose researched the history of the area, he found that the Hudson's Bay Company hired Swedes in the 1800s to work at remote Canadian wilderness trading posts—including the Michipicoten post, located not far from the Wawa carving, the CBC reported. Whether this was a popular religious site—the inscription was found under soil after the tree fell, and no other artifacts have been found nearby—or the work of a single person toiling alone is still a question. But with this announcement, many other questions have been answered. 'Canada now has a total of 11 objects claimed to bear runes but only five in fact do so, and three of those constitute modern commemorative inscriptions,' Williams wrote in an OCARE report. 'The Wawa stone is Ontario's first with actual runes, the longest runic inscription of any on the North American continent […] and the only one in the world reproducing the Lord's Prayer.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
NDTV
16-06-2025
- General
- NDTV
1,000-Year-Old Viking-Era Artefact Could Be Thor's Hammer In Making
Archaeologists in northern Germany have uncovered a significant Viking-era hoard dating back to the Early Middle Ages. The discovery was made by the Schleswig-Holstein State Archaeological Office (ALSH) in collaboration with the Schleswig-Holstein Detector Group. The artefacts were found near the banks of the Schlei River, close to Haithabu (also known as Hedeby), a major maritime trading centre in northern Europe from the 9th to the mid-11th century. The hoard includes around 200 silver objects - hack silver, Arab coin fragments (dirhams), ingots, and jewellery - shedding new light on the region's trading networks and cultural exchanges. Among the most intriguing finds is a finely crafted filigree pendant. Archaeologists believe it could be either a Christian cross or an unfinished Thor's hammer - two powerful symbols representing competing belief systems during the Viking Age. "If it is a cross, it may be one of the earliest signs of Christianisation in the region," said Birte Anspach, spokesperson for the State Archaeological Office. She noted the find may be linked to the missionary journeys of St Ansgar, who travelled to the area in the 9th century. However, Anspach added that conversion was gradual. "Ansgar didn't arrive and suddenly everyone turned away from the old gods. Christianisation was a long process, taking generations. Most people around Haithabu remained pagan for the next century." A metal detectorist in Germany uncovered a Viking Age hoard near Haithabu, featuring around 200 treasures, including Arabic coins and a pendant possibly symbolizing early Christianisation or Thor's hammer. Insights reveal cultural exchanges in the 10th century. — Nyra Kraal (@NyraKraal) June 14, 2025 Interestingly, the pendant's eyelet is on the longer arm - suggesting it would hang upside down if it were a cross, possibly indicating it was meant to be a Thor's hammer instead. Thor's Hammer And Its Connection To Norse Mythology In Norse mythology, Thor's hammer - Mjolnir - was said to possess divine powers. Forged by dwarves, it was wielded by the god Thor in his battles against giants and remains a potent symbol of Norse paganism.
