The monumental Herlaugshaugen burial mound on Leka Island in central Norway has now been confirmed as the country’s oldest known ship burial. New radiocarbon dates obtained by archaeologists from the NTNU University Museum show that the ship interred in the mound dates to around AD 700, roughly a century before the traditionally defined Viking Age [1]. Researchers note that this finding is highly significant because it demonstrates that the tradition of monumental ship burials in Scandinavia began much earlier than previously assumed.
The Legend of the Lost King and the Archaeological Evidence
The Herlaugshaugen mound has long been associated with the local ruler King Herlaug, mentioned in the works of the 13th-century author Snorri Sturluson. The first excavations at the end of the 18th century reportedly uncovered a human skeleton, a sword, animal bones and iron nails, although most of these finds have since been lost. Scholars at the time directly linked the grave to the written legends. Modern scientific analyses, however, show that the burial is considerably older than the period described by Snorri, forcing a reassessment of how far historical narratives can be taken at face value [4].
Building a Cultural Bridge to Sutton Hoo
Archaeologist Geir Grønnesby argues that the Herlaugshaugen ship burial helps fill the gap between the famous Anglo-Saxon royal burial at Sutton Hoo in England (AD 610-635) and the later Viking Age ship graves in Scandinavia [6]. The monument also shares similarities with the ship burials at Vendel and Valsgärde in Sweden, indicating that communities around the North Sea already shared a common and highly developed maritime and funerary culture well before the onset of the Viking Age [5].
Iron Rivets and Traces of Timber
Recent work in the mound has uncovered original fragments of the ship’s hull planking along with numerous iron rivets. Thanks to the well-preserved organic remains, researchers have been able to obtain precise dating results that show seafaring elites in the region were constructing large, impressive vessels and transforming them into prestigious funerary monuments long before Viking raids began. For further context and additional reading, see [2] [3].
Sources and further reading
- [1] Norway's oldest known ship burial predates the Viking Age
- [2] Ponder the mysteries of Stonehenge! How did the stones of this pre ...
- [3] Kevin O'Dwyer - Designer/Metalsmith/Sculptor - LinkedIn Ireland
- [4] Oldest known ship burial discovered in Norway predates Vikings
- [5] The oldest known ship burial discovered in Norway pre-dates the ...
- [6] Ship burial discovered in Norway predates Viking Age
Image & news source: Sciencenorway / sciencenorway.no