Discovery of Viking boat burial shows woman and dog were companions even in death

“There are stories of prominent people doing everything in their power when their dog became ill. So even back then, people had deep bonds with their animals,” archaeologist Anja Roth Niemi told Science Norway. 

Two years ago, a metal detectorist reportedly stumbled upon something intriguing – brooches and bone fragments — roughly about 7.9 inches (20 centimeters) beneath the ground.

This initial find hinted at a significant burial, possibly that of a Viking woman.

Permission secured, a proper excavation began. And what they uncovered was breathtaking: a 17.7-foot-long (5.4-meter) boat grave. Inside, the boat’s decayed wood was visible, but what truly amazed them was what they found within.

“After the upper layer of soil was removed, it became clear that this was a boat grave,” the Facebook post by the museum stated.

“The decayed wood from the boat was visible as a thin dark strip in the subsoil, with the site where the bowl brooches were found approximately in the middle.”

Buried alongside what is believed to be an elite Viking woman were objects of high status: exquisite bone and amber beads, a pendant, and ornate brooches. 

Science Norway reported that these oval brooches, with their silver thread, not only helped date the grave to around 900 to 950 CE, but also strongly suggest the buried individual was a woman.

Together, the boat burial and the items found within it showcase that the woman held a high social status.

The crucial remains

Remarkably, parts of the burial, like larger bones and rib sections, were well-preserved.

Researchers even found intact textile fragments from the woman’s clothing and other organic traces. However, smaller bones like fingers and toes were only found as faint stains in the sand, indicating poorer preservation.

Further, agricultural tools and textile instruments found at the site link the burial to a Viking woman.

They were probably buried together so the dog could keep guarding its owner in the afterlife, just as it did in life.

Other Viking burials have included the remains of dogs.

For instance, the Oseberg Ship Burial, dating to around 834 AD in Norway, was an exceptionally rich Viking burial containing the remains of two women and numerous grave goods.

Notably, animal remains also accompanied them, including four dogs, 15 horses, and an ox, signifying their wealth and importance even in death.

The recent excavation concluded with the careful recording and removal of all grave contents for detailed laboratory analysis in Tromsø. 

Future studies will determine the individual’s sex, age, height, diet, and health. 

In addition, the discovery of another brooch nearby has prompted archaeologists to continue searching the area for more graves.