Oldest known Viking ship is found near early kings’ burials in Norway, experts say

As the eighth century drew to a close, the first Viking kings ruled on the island of Karmøy nearly 100 years before Norway became a sovereign country.

Now, archaeologists have discovered the burials of some of the earliest kings — which include gold, pearls and massive ships — in Avaldsnes, according to a news release from the University of Stavanger. Among their latest finds are three grave mounds that date to the end of the seventh century.

Archaeologists from the university believe one of the ships they uncovered is the oldest known Viking ship in the region, the university said. The ship dates to about 770 and has sails.

Experts said the Vikings likely used the ship for voyages.

At another burial site, archaeologists used georadar technology to analyze beneath the soil and discovered signs of a 65-foot ship, according to the university. Several other smaller remains of the ship were found nearby using the same technology.

The latest discoveries are changing previous understanding of Viking life, experts told ScienceNorway.

“It’s a magnificent find,” Jan Bill, curator of the Viking Ship Collection at the Museum of Cultural History at the University of Oslo, told the outlet. “Karmøy has always stood out as unusual with two ship burial mounds located in the exact same area, so this third ship just adds to the impression that there is something special going on here.”

Karmøy is on the eastern coast of Norway.

Google Translate was used to translate the news release from the University of Stavanger.

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