New clues from old bones: Some Vikings were much more violent than others
An investigation into Viking skeletons reveals a hidden story of violence, power, and the surprising differences between neighbouring Viking societies.
Archaeology
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Fantastic walrus ivory treasures coming to Norway
World-famous treasures crafted from walrus ivory are on their way to Norway, including chess pieces from the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. Were they originally from Norway? And why did the walrus trade disappear?
Who was the man in the well?
The bishop’s men plundered the king’s fortress. Then they threw a dead man into the well to poison it. Now we know more about the deceased.
Uncovering the secrets of Norway’s largest lake
Engineers and biologists are standing shoulder to shoulder with philosophers, social scientists and historians to safeguard Norway’s largest lake for future generations.
Piecing together Viking tapestries from the Oseberg Ship
The Vikings surrounded themselves with textiles that were richly illustrated with stories. 1200-year-old tapestry fragments found in Norway’s Oseberg Ship are now being pieced together – without having to touch them.
The cathedral at the end of the world
Trondheim’s Nidaros Cathedral is full of secrets, messages from the past written in stone. One researcher is now decoding these missives, half hidden in a very special spot in and around the most sacred place in the church.
Scandinavia’s oldest known ship burial is located in mid-Norway
Dating shows that the ship grave at Leka in central Norway is from before the Viking Age. That makes it Scandinavia’s oldest known ship burial.
When trees talk
We think of trees as silent sentinels, watching as the world goes by and the ages pass. But what if you could interview them about what they have seen?
Early whaling eradicated species from local waters
Several whale species disappeared from Europe long before whaling became a major industry. Two of the most common species are no longer found here, and one of them is almost extinct.
Rare Stone Age discovery in mid-Norway
When archaeologists recently carried out an excavation at Vinjeøra in southern Trøndelag County, they made a surprising discovery that they had only dreamed of finding.
Central Norway’s largest burial mound likely contains a ship burial
We were through the roof with excitement when the first ship rivet was found, says archaeologist Geir Grønnesby at the NTNU University Museum
Your relatives of yore slept with these people
You’re probably a bit of a Neanderthal. Come to a family reunion at the NTNU University Museum.
New video offers a peek into Lake Mjøsa shipwreck
The discovery of what may be Mjøsa’s oldest known shipwreck to date drew international attention just before last Christmas. The researchers have now secured a video of “Storfjorden I.”
Norway got back on its feet quickly after the war
The conventional view has been that after the Second World War, Norway was impoverished and plundered, but the recovery actually went quite quickly. All the infrastructure that the occupying power built during the war played a significant role.
Viking Age silver treasure found in Stjørdal municipality
An exceptional find, says archaeologist Birgit Maixner at the NTNU University Museum.
Old Norse settlers traded walrus ivory with Kyiv
Norse settlers in Greenland exported walrus tusk ivory to Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages.
Climate change reveals unique artefacts in melting ice patches
Norwegian mountains are full of time capsules. Thousands of years of human and ecological history are preserved in remnant patches of ice. Now this treasure trove of information threatens to melt away, unless we take action.
What medieval skeletons tell us about modern day pandemics
The coronavirus pandemic has made the whole world more aware of what diseases can do to a society. Now, archaeologists and biologists who are studying medieval pandemics, like the Black Death, are learning lessons about the past that may help us in the future.
You’re looking at one of the oldest pieces of cloth in the world
What did people make clothes from in the Neolithic? Çatalhöyük, the world’s largest known Stone Age settlement, gives us answers after 60 years of debate.
Unique Viking textiles found in woman’s grave
“Finding embroidered textiles from the Viking Age is so unusual that you almost can’t believe it’s true,” says archaeologist Ruth Iren Øien at the NTNU University Museum.
Warriors’ down bedding could ease journey to realm of the dead
This may well be the most interesting story about pillows and bedding you will ever read.
Viking raiders stole this box. But the real surprise is what they did with it.
What a mound of sand, some leftover nails and the box itself tell us about the Viking raiders who stole it — and what they did with it when they brought it back to Norway.
Special Viking grave found in Central Norway
She was placed in a burial chamber and took several hundred miniature beads with her on her last journey. Who was the woman who was buried by Valsøyfjord over 1000 years ago?
Viking sword found in grave in central Norway
It has been more than a thousand years since anyone held this sword. But why was it placed on the left side of the grave?