Archaeology

What the Vikings put in their pillows

Not too many people are able to identify birds by examining a single feather. But a number of folks need to know that sort of thing, and it can actually save lives.

Mystery in the bear cave

The oldest known bear bones from northern Scandinavia have been discovered in a limestone cave. But the cave also contained a mystery.

Brewing Viking beer — with stones

When archaeologist Geir Grønnesby dug test pits at 24 different farms in central Norway, he nearly always found thick layers of fire-cracked stones dating from the Viking Age and earlier. Long ago, Norwegians brewed beer using stones.

Bringing new life to old bones

The NTNU University Museum’s squirrel from 1878 is a youngster compared to the 6600-year-old walrus that was recently dated after 50 years in storage.

Iron-age Norwegians liked their bling

Norway’s Main Air Station at Ørland will be expanded to house the country’s new F-35 fighter jets. Archaeologists called in to examine the expansion site before construction have found evidence of Iron Age longhouses, complete with glass shards, beads and lots of garbage.

Viking raids protected precious artefacts

A bit of British gold stolen in a Viking raid was given a new life when it was used as jewellery and buried with its new Viking owner. That twist of fate may have inadvertently saved a piece of one of the oldest known British croziers.