ノルウェー中部の金属探知機が最近、バイキング時代の金属ブローチを発見した。 But when he led archaeologists to the site, they discovered much more. It was a burial with evidence of unusual rituals never seen before.
ノルウェー科学技術大学大学博物館の技術主任でプロジェクトリーダーのレイモンド・ソバージュ氏は、「墓には女性と思われる人物が埋葬されており、9世紀に遡る典型的なバイキング時代の衣装や宝石類を身に着けて埋葬されている」と翻訳声明で述べた。 “The most striking feature is the two scallop shells placed near the mouth of the deceased, a practice previously unknown in pre-Christian graves in Norway.”
The burial was discovered earlier this year when detection engineer Roy Soren was searching a coastal area privately owned by Alve Instrand in Trøndelag County. Soren came up with an oval metal brooch typical of Viking Age jewelry. Instrand and Soren alerted archaeologists, who dug further and discovered a tomb filled with artifacts, bird bones and human bones covered in shells.
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ノルウェー文化遺産総局のハンナ・ゲイラン局長は声明で、「古い墓にこれほど保存状態の良い骸骨が残っているのは非常に珍しい」と述べた。 “This discovery has great heritage value.”
Archaeologists say Viking-era women were likely buried wearing outer dresses with two oval brooches near their shoulders. The opening at the neck of the slip-like inner dress was closed with a small ring brooch. Sauvage suggests that the woman’s jewelry and clothing suggest that “she was likely a free, married woman, most likely the mistress of a farm.”
Brooches are typical Viking Age clothing accessories, but shells and bird bones surprised archaeologists.
Two large scallop shells were placed in the woman’s mouth with the curved side outward and the straight end facing up, covering part of her jaw. Sauvage told Live Science in an email that it is unclear whether the scallops are part of the artifact because “we have not yet seen any evidence of holes or anything like that.” Further analysis may reveal further clues.
大西洋ホタテガイは、トロンデラーグなどの大西洋北東部でよく見られます。 Sauvage told Live Science that the scallops were likely local. “These parts of Norway are the best places to collect scallops,” he said. “However, you have to dive to catch them, so it’s unclear whether they were caught by skin diving or dead shells collected on the beach.”
The symbolic meaning of the buried scallop shells and bird bones is currently unknown.
“It is likely that the scallop shell had a symbolic meaning intended to convey to those who witnessed the burial. Unfortunately, it is difficult to speculate what this meaning might have been,” Sauvage said.
Earlier this year, archaeologists discovered a second human skeleton at the same site, likely dating to the 8th century, several generations before the woman was buried with the scallop shell. Further research is needed to determine who these people were and why they were buried nearby.
“We will examine the skeleton, preserve the object and take samples for dating and DNA analysis,” Sauvage said in a statement. “The goal is to learn more about the person and, if possible, any kinship with people previously found at the same location.”
Viking Quiz: How much do you know about these maritime raiders, traders and explorers?
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