A Viking burial was found in the courtyard of a private house in Setesdal, in northern Norway. Science Norway.
Local resident Oddbjorn Holum Heiland accidentally stumbled upon a sword and a tombstone while doing chores. Initially, he dug the ground on the slope of his house to increase the space between the buildings and the site.
Oddbjorn stopped working when he realized he had come across artifacts. He found a picture of a similar sword online and realized that his find might be related to the Viking Age. Thereupon, Oddbjorn applied to the municipality.
Archaeologists who came to the region confirmed their predictions. They determined the age of the sword from the style of its hilt and determined that the blade was made in the late 8th or early 9th century.
Scientists believe that this is the tomb of a noble person. Vikings are often depicted with swords and helmets. However, such equipment was not available to everyone. Most Vikings used farm weapons such as axes and spears in their campaigns.
The choice of burial site was deliberate, although experts did not find any traces of a mound. Vikings preferred to bury their ancestors near their farms to show that they belonged to this land by kinship rights.
Ornaments were also found in the tomb, including a brooch, belt buckle, and gold-plated glass beads that could be used to tie a cloak. Vikings loved to dress, so artifacts cannot yet show the gender of the deceased. Archaeologists will continue digging in hopes of finding the remains, although it is likely that they have not been preserved.
The house where the tomb is located was built in 1740. In the 1970s, Oddbjörn Holum Heiland’s father-in-law also conducted research in the area, but they found no ancient artifacts.
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