Norwegian Couple Discover Viking Grave Under Home

Story ByLee Bullen, Sub EditorJoseph Golder, AgencyNewsflash

A Norwegian couple in the process of renovating their house has found an ancient Viking burial ground underneath their floorboards.

The incident took place at the couple’s home in the town of Bodo in the northern Norwegian municipality of the same name when they removed the floorboards to put in insulation.

Underneath the floor of the house, constructed in 1914, they first spotted a shimmering glass bead they initially thought was a wheel from a toy car.

Newsflash/Nordland County Council

The couple then went on to discover an iron axe and several other objects made of the metal.

They contacted the local authorities and experts from Tromso University Museum visited the house the next day, according to reports.

In Norway, cultural monuments with examples of human activity that date back to before 1537 are automatically protected.

Newsflash/Nordland County Council

Archaeologists have begun a full excavation at the house which they believe is a grave from the Viking Age.

While Viking discoveries are not uncommon in the country, this would be the first time such a site has been found underneath a house, according to reports.

Archaeologist Martinus Hauglid said: “We assume it dates back to the 9th century, probably a grave from the Viking Age. Now there is a group of archaeologists from Tromso carrying out a survey.”

Newsflash/Nordland County Council

The glass bead and iron objects have already been transferred to the Tromso University for further analysis.

Earlier this year, pieces from a Viking Age board game were found in Lindisfarne off the coast of north-east England where one of the earliest Viking raids took place.

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