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Viking

Left, Trevor Penny and the Viking sword; Center, the sword; Right, close up of the hilt of the sword. Source: Trevor Penny

Magnet Fisher Drags 1,200-Year-Old Viking Sword from English River

In a remarkable find, an artifact of significant historical importance has been recovered by an avid magnet fisherman. Trevor Penny was scouring the River Cherwell near Enslow in Oxfordshire,...
Top, an X-ray image reveals carious lesions on posterior molars. Bottom, a filed hole from the crown of the tooth into the pulp. Source: Carolina Bertilsson and Henrik Lund/PLoS ONE

Viking Age Dental Care Was Surprisingly Good, Says Study

Viking Age teeth from Varnhem bear witness to surprisingly advanced dentistry in the Norse population there. The findings of a study carried out at the University of Gothenburg reveal a complex...
New excavations of the 1,300-year-old pre-Viking ship burial, referred to as Herlaugshaugen. Source: Hanne Bryn / NTNU Science Museum

1,300-Year-Old Pre-Viking Ship Burial Rewrites History

The identification of a pre-Viking ship burial unearthed in Norway is helping rewrite history. A previously excavated mound, containing remnants of the oldest large ship ever buried, on the island of...
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

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...
From ancient to modern times the abominable violation of human rights has occurred. Referred today as human trafficking, it is nonetheless, a form of slavery, of human exploitation for personal or commercial gain. Source: Rick/Adobe Stock

From Sumerian Gods to Modern Day: The Long History of Slavery and Lost Children

The recent film Sound of Freedom is a fictionalized account of the true story of Tim Ballard, a former US Department of Homeland Security agent who founded the nonprofit organization Operation...
Right: The gold hoard photographed shortly after Erlend Bore found it in the ground with a metal detector. Source: Museum of Archaeology/UiS

Norway’s “Gold Find of the Century” Uncovered, Including Rare Cache of Medallions

On the Norwegian island of Rennesøy, an impressive hoard of ancient gold items, weighing over 100 grams, has been uncovered. The cache includes nine coin-like gold pendants or medallions, with rare...
Just 2 centimeters in length, the Patrice, a Pre-Viking stamp, is believed to be a representation of a former royal power in Falster. Source: Lolland Falster Museum

Ancient Stamp Found at Pre-Viking Site in Denmark May Point to a Powerful King and Power Center

In Falster, southeast Denmark, a metal detector enthusiast has stumbled upon a “very rare find”, which could potentially change Danish history! A faint beep on his machine revealed a special Pre-...
The excavation site at Sem where the large Viking Longhouse has been detected. Source: Frank Rødberg / County Municipality

Remarkably Massive Viking Longhouse Discovered in Norway

While excavating near the ruins of a 17th century royal estate near the village of Sem in the Eiker district of southeastern Norway, archaeologists unearthed dozens of ancient postholes spread around...
Repton Viking Burial. Source: YouTube Screenshot / History Hit.

Repton: Is This The Most Important Viking Burial Site In Britain? (Video)

Located in Repton , Derbyshire, a serene country church houses a historic treasure echoing Britain's past. This site holds immense significance predating the Viking era , once vital to the kingdom of...
The tomb and treasures of King Tut. Source: Jaroslav Moravcik / Adobe Stock.

10 of the Biggest Treasure Discoveries In History (Video)

In the world of treasure hunting, incredible discoveries await. From ancient Egyptian tombs in Saqqara to the depths of the ocean, hidden riches have been unveiled throughout history. Colorful...
A gold piece from the Vindelev hoard. Source: Oleryhlolsson / CC by SA 4.0.

The Ancient Golden Treasure Rewriting Danish History (Video)

A remarkable chance discovery in the Danish village of Vindelev is revolutionizing our understanding of early Norse history. Two old school friends, armed only with a metal detector, stumbled across...
Viking ship burial mound discovered at Salhushaugen, Norway.          Source: Museum of Archaeology, University of Stavanger/Science Norway

1,200-Year-Old Viking Ship Burial Found in Supposedly Empty Mound

A large Viking burial mound found on the island of Karmøy off Norway’s western coast was long thought to be empty. Excavations that opened the Salhushaugen mound in 1906 were launched in the belief...
Viking celebration. Source: Justinas / Adobe Stock.

Raid, Pillage, and Party: Inside the World of Viking Celebrations (Video)

What comes to mind when you think of Vikings ? Pillaging and plundering? Battle cries and warrior spirit ? What about partying? That's right, Vikings knew how to have a good time, too. Mead halls ,...
A representation of Jötunn (Giant) Surtr of Norse mythology. Source: warmtail/Adobe Stock

Surtr: Norse Mythology's Giant God of Fire and Apocalypse

Giants, demigods, dwarves and elves - all these creatures made the Old Norse mythology so colorful and captivating. Preserved for posterity in the Norse sagas and manuscripts, these myths and legends...
Coin of King Alfred and King Ceolwulf II. Source: anglosaxon.archeurope

Stolen Viking Coin Hoard Worth £800,000 Sold to Undercover Police Officers in Britain

Real-life events can be just as dramatic as any fiction, as evidenced by the tale of stolen Viking coins, an undercover sting, and two men protesting their innocence. Collectors Craig Best and Roger...
Viking feast. Source: Justinas / Adobe Stock.

Beyond the Raids: A Day in the Life of a Viking (Video)

What was life like for the average Viking ? Was it really all epic sea voyages and brutal raiding parties? Not quite! Back home these brutal warriors had keep up a certain standard of living. What...
Representative image of a round wooden shield similar to the Viking shields found at Gokstad. Source: Aleksandrs/Adobe Stock

Ceremonial Viking Shields Re-identified as Actual Battle-Worn Armor

A reexamination of 1,100-year-old wooden Viking shields excavated in Norway in 1880 have been used to assert that these round protective devices could very well have been used in hand-to-hand combat...
 Vikings woman with horse, the Norse invaders brought their animals with them. Source: selenit / Adobe Stock

New Insights into the Viking Great Army: Cremation Site Unveils Surprising Details

The Viking warriors who invaded England in the late ninth century have long been a topic of fascination for historians and archaeologists alike. Now, a team of British and Belgian scientists have...
New study claims medieval monasteries showed resilience in the face of the Vikings. Source: Deivison / Adobe Stock

New Study Debunks the “Ruthless Vikings, Helpless Monks” Narrative

Medieval English monasteries didn’t just passively cave in to the long-running Viking attacks on English shores that culminated in the victory of the Anglo-Saxon king Alfred the Great . Lyminge, a...
Representative image shows the reconstruction of a Viking Hall at Lofotr Viking museum, Borg, Norway. Source: Jon Olav Eikenes/CC BY 2.0

Harald Bluetooth Era Viking Hall Discovered in Denmark

When archaeologists in Denmark identified the foundations of a huge Viking hall they knew they’d hit archaeological paydirt. But they didn’t expect that this building would be the largest Viking hall...
Some of the objects that were dug out from the Viking grave in Oslo. The box on the left contains the remains of the cape brooch with spheres. Source: Byantikvaren in Oslo

Very Rare Viking Grave Excavated in Western Oslo

An exceptionally rare Viking Age grave has been unearthed in Oslo, Norway’s capital city. The Viking Age (793–1066 AD) followed the Migration Period and the Germanic Iron Age in Europe . At this time...
The silver hoard of neck rings, arm rings and coins found in Sweden.	Source: Acta Konserveringscentrum / The Archaeologists

Rare Viking Treasure Hoard Unearthed In Sweden

Archaeologists in Sweden have unearthed a rare Viking treasure hoard. Found beneath what was a wooden floor, the collection of silver jewellery and coins tell a story of international trade almost...
This 1,000-year-old wooden Viking Age bowl was found in the Glomma River sandbank by a young boy.

Ten-Year-Old Finds Rare, Wooden, Viking Age Bowl in Norway

Rowing out to a swimming spot on the Glomma River with his father, 10-year-old Erik Briskerud noticed what looked like a root in a sandbar. To his delight, the object that he unearthed turned out to...
The Vikings copied the riding spurs from Roman times, and similar spurs have only been found far down in Central Europe. Source: Mårten Teigen/Kulturhistorisk Museum, UiO/CC-BY-SA 4.0

Late Viking Age Grave Imitating A Roman Age Grave, Not Just Allusion to Power

A grave found in Late Viking Age eastern Norway looks uncannily similar to one of the most immaculate graves from the Roman Age in Norway, from the Hunn burial site in Østfold. A rich burial site, it...

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