Viking woman buried in ceremonial boat with her dog

Viking boat grave burial near road in Norway — The burial site is located near a rural road in Norway. **Credit: The Arctic University Museum of Norway, UiT**

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In 2023, metal detector enthusiasts scouring Norway’s remote Senja Island stumbled across a remarkable archeological find. While searching near a rural road, they noticed a pair of partially exposed bronze brooches sticking out from the dirt. A closer inspection also revealed what appeared to be rib bones barely eight inches below the soil. The amateur metal hunters contacted archeologists at Norway’s Arctic University Museum, who upon arriving at the site, ordered a full excavation.

Now that recovery work is underway, the team has confirmed the site holds an unexpected scene: a Viking boat grave for a respected local woman buried with her beloved pet dog.

Ancient dog skeleton — *Viking burials that included dogs are rare, but they did occur infrequently. Credit: The Arctic University Museum of Norway, UiT*

“[Her pet] appears to have been placed with real care,” archeologist Anja Roth Niemi told Science Norway. Niemi added that while not unheard of, such a burial companion was rare in Viking culture.

The trove dates to around 900–950 CE, and features numerous artifacts in the roughly 18-foot-long burial vessel. Apart from the skeletal remains and ornate bronze brooches, these include agricultural tools, what appears to be a weaving sword made from whale bone, and a spindle whorl indicative of her domestic responsibilities.

“We believe the woman buried here held significant status locally, and perhaps even across the region,” said Niemi. “She wasn’t at the very top of the social ladder, but she was clearly an important figure.”

The region where the grave was discovered is particularly well-suited for preserving ancient bodies and archeological items. Accompanying metal artifacts help prevent bacterial growth, while the soil’s rich lime and shell sand contents aid in conserving skeletal material.

There are signs indicating that more Vikings (and possibly their pets) are buried nearby. In the course of their excavation work, Niemi’s team found another brooch located multiple feet beyond the main grave. This suggests other graves may be present. Experts plan to conduct a more expansive survey of the area using ground-penetrating radar and other tools to see if anything else awaits discovery.