Photo: NTNU University Museum
An unusual Viking Age burial discovered in Trøndelag, Norway, has presented archaeologists with a historical mystery. The grave contained the remains of a woman, with scallop shells carefully placed near her mouth, Science Alert reports.
This is the first known Viking burial of its kind, and no similar examples have been documented in published archaeological research.
“The most intriguing element is the two scallop shells positioned by the woman’s mouth. This is a practice we have never seen before in pre-Christian burials in Norway. At this stage, we do not know what this symbolism represents,” said archaeologist Raymond Sauvage of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
Researchers learned of the burial after metal detectorist Roy Søreng discovered a bronze brooch typical of the Viking Age. He and landowner Arve Innstrand notified the NTNU University Museum and the Trøndelag county authorities, who then sent experts to investigate the site.
A detailed examination of the field led to the discovery of the woman’s grave, which dates to the Viking Age. Such finds are rare in Norway, as the acidic soil often destroys human remains over time.
Although much of the burial had decomposed over the centuries, the remaining evidence was sufficient for archaeologists to identify key details. They found two oval brooches that would have fastened the straps of a dress, as well as a ring-shaped buckle used to secure an under-skirt.
“In this Viking Age grave, we found what we believe to be a woman buried in typical clothing and jewelry from the 9th century. This suggests she was a free woman and likely married, possibly the mistress of a farm,” Sauvage said.
What makes the burial exceptional is the placement of the scallop shells on either side of the woman’s jaw — a feature previously unknown in Scandinavian archaeology. The team also found several bird bones, which are more commonly encountered in ancient burials. One well-known example is a 6,000-year-old Danish grave of a mother and newborn, in which the infant was carefully laid on a swan’s wing.
Across different cultures and historical periods, scallop shells have carried various symbolic meanings, though no such symbolism had previously been identified in Scandinavia. In ancient Greek and Roman traditions, for example, scallop shells were associated with Aphrodite or Venus and symbolized fertility, birth, and femininity.
It was not until around the 11th century that the scallop shell became a powerful Christian symbol of pilgrimage and spiritual journey — a meaning that emerged long after this burial was created.
Researchers are now working to learn more about the woman buried at the site and to determine whether her grave is connected to another burial from the 8th century found in the same field.
