Scandinavian

5 gold foil pieces found in the dig in Norway. Right; Kathrine Stene, the archaeologist and project leader, proudly displays one of the five newly unearthed gold foil pieces. Source: Nicolai Eckhoff/Facebook

26 September, 2023 - 18:56 Sahir

Enigmatic Gold Foil Pieces Found in Norway Link to 1400-Year-Old Temple

A treasure trove of 5 gold foil pieces, the size of fingernails, have been found near the roadside in southeast Norway, dated to 1,400 years ago. Described as not getting “more spectacular than this...

Viking Era phallic stone and burial globe from Tystberga. Source: (Uppdrag arkeologi)

15 June, 2023 - 18:59 Sahir

Viking Era Phallic Stone Discovered During Excavation of Burial Site

During the excavation of Viking burials in Tystberga, Sweden, archaeologists made a surprising discovery that both astonished and amused them. Among the ancient graves and residential structures, the...

The Rainbow Bridge by Hermann Hendrich. Source: Archivist / Adobe Stock

24 October, 2022 - 14:52 Robbie Mitchell

Bifrost: The Rainbow Bridge to Asgard Doomed to Collapse in Ragnarok

One of the most important elements of Norse mythology was the Bifrost. The Bifrost was the legendary shimmering rainbow bridge to Asgard, responsible for connecting the world of the gods with the...

31 March, 2021 - 18:25 ancient-origins

Scandinavian Origins | DNA | Stone Age Scandinavia

Tracking the migration of humans isn’t easy , but genetics is helping us uncover new information at breathtaking speed. We know that our species originated in Africa and likely reached Europe from...

Read Later
Read more about Scandinavian Origins | DNA | Stone Age Scandinavia
Log in or register to post comments

Written in stone by Vikings – the Rok runestone from the 9th century features the longest known runic inscription and is considered the first piece of Swedish literature. Credit: rolf_52 / Adobe Stock

19 January, 2020 - 13:30 ashley cowie

Decoded Viking Runestone Reveals Fears of Climate Change Apocalypse

Scholars have long been baffled by the coded runic message of the ‘Rök Runestone’ but a new interpretation claims it spells out a chilling Armageddon prophecy. One of the world's most famous Norse...

Artistic reconstruction of ‘Lola, based on the information from the DNA found in the birch tar. Source: Tom Björklund / Nature

17 December, 2019 - 18:53 ancient-origins

Chewing Gum Reveals Look of Neolithic Scandinavian

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have succeeded in extracting a complete human genome from a thousands-of-years old “chewing gum”. According to the researchers, it is a new untapped...

Experts have studied the skeletal remains of five bodies excavated in Ireland and tested the remains for strains of leprosy. Source: Suthiporn / Adobe Stock.

14 September, 2019 - 22:53 ashley cowie

Did Scandinavian Vikings Carry Leprosy To Ireland?

The skeletal remains of five bodies excavated in Ireland suggest Vikings brought leprosy to the Emerald Isle. Leprosy , also known as Hansen's disease , is a chronic infectious disease that is caused...

One of the chewing gums containing the oldest Scandinavian DNA from Huseby Klev with two plastelina casts for each side.

18 May, 2019 - 16:39 ancient-origins

DNA of First Settlers of Scandinavia Gleaned from Ancient Chewing Gums

The first humans who settled in Scandinavia more than 10,000 years ago left their DNA behind in ancient chewing gums, which are masticated lumps made from birch bark pitch. This is shown in a new...

Crazy Viking face (khosrork / Adobe Stock)

4 March, 2019 - 22:22 Sarah P Young

Eight Harsh But Hilarious Viking Nick Names and How They Came About

Before surnames became commonplace, a method was needed to differentiate between two or more people with the same name. Many surnames in the English language today are a result of this - John Smith,...

6 February, 2019 - 22:57 ancient-origins

Ragnar Shaggy-Trousers and Eystein Foul-Fart: The Truth Behind Viking Names

Vikings are pretty trendy of late. Marvel’s Thor films, for example, gave Viking mythology the Hollywood treatment and plonked its characters in contemporary America. There have been multiple Viking...

16 November, 2018 - 22:59 dhwty

Hidden in the Landscape: The Unique Architectural Heritage of Icelandic Turf Houses

Turf houses are a distinctive type of dwelling found in Iceland with origins dating back to the 9 th century AD, which are attributed to the country’s Nordic settlers. The development of turf houses...

19 August, 2018 - 22:43 Michelle Freson

Ismantorp Fortress: An Ancient Ringfort Surrounded by Nine Worlds

The Ismantorp fortress on Öland, has been described as one of the most interesting prehistoric defensive structures and one of the most remarkable ringforts in Sweden. Not the largest of the forts,...

9 April, 2018 - 23:03 dhwty

Heimdall, Watchman of the Gods, Will Sound the Horn as Ragnarok Approaches

Heimdall is a god in the Norse pantheon, most well-known for his task to announce the coming of Ragnarok by sounding his horn, which will be heard across all worlds. He is one of the better-known...

Painting by John Bauer of two trolls with a human child they have raised

1 April, 2018 - 23:00 dhwty

The Weird, Wonderful and Wicked Beings in Scandinavian Folklore

In Scandinavian folklore, there are numerous races of beings, the best-known of which (apart from human beings) are the gods and the jötnar, their nemesis. In rather simplistic terms, these may be...

This Swedish Viking had filed front teeth.

3 December, 2017 - 22:55 ancient-origins

Did These Filed and Grooved Teeth Belong to a Viking Elite Warrior?

BY THORNEWS Scandinavian findings and a mass grave in Dorset, England, proves that some Viking males filed grooves into their front teeth and most likely filled them with pigment. Researchers are...

3 May, 2017 - 22:59 Mark Miller

No One Questions that Vikings Drank; But Did They Make Wine?

Further evidence that the Vikings weren’t just beer-swilling, raping, and pillaging savages comes out of Denmark with the discovery of two grape seeds that may indicate the Norsemen didn’t just drink...

4 February, 2017 - 22:50 dhwty

Blenda: The Cunning and Courageous Swedish Woman Who Defeated the Danish Army

Blenda is a heroine found in Swedish myths and legends. It is unclear as to exactly when she lived, but according to the legends, her heroic deeds took place during the time when Alle was the King of...

20 January, 2017 - 00:52 dhwty

Bluetooth: Why Modern Tech is Named After Powerful King of Denmark and Norway

Harald “Blåtand” Gormsson was a King of Denmark and Norway who lived during the 10th century AD. He was responsible for the unification of Denmark. Following this feat, Harald set his sights beyond...

Odin Riding Forth on the Cover of "Legends and Lore"

14 December, 2016 - 00:48 Mark Miller

Gold Pendant Found in Denmark Depicts Norse God Odin, and May Have Been a Sacrifice to Avert the Disastrous Weather of 536 AD

Odin, the high god of Norse mythology, rode his eight-legged horse Sleipnir through the nine worlds dispensing ecstasy to all those who invoked him. Now an image of a man with a horse depicted on a...

15 January, 2014 - 00:16 aprilholloway

Brewery recreates 3,500-year-old Scandinavian alcohol

New research has found that ancient Scandinavians drank alcohol made from a combination of barley, honey, cranberries, herbs and grape wine. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery have now recreated the Nordic...

1 November, 2013 - 00:42 aprilholloway

New Study Shows Viking Graves contained Sacrificed Slaves

A new study which will be published in the new issues of the Journal of Archaeological Science has revealed that a set of Viking graves uncovered in Norway in the early 1980s contained the remains of...