Possible Bronze Age Grave Unearthed Beneath Viking Ship Burial

Archaeologists in western Norway have begun excavating a burial mound that first caught scholars' attention in 1902. The Grønhaug mound, located on the island of Karmøy, was initially excavated over a century ago, but the current team has made new discoveries.

The researchers from the University of Stavanger have recovered fragments of iron rivets from the ship's hull and studied a layer of birch bark in the grave, possibly a type of flooring. Recent dendrochronological and radiocarbon dating of previously excavated artifacts suggest that the mound was built around a.d. 864, early in the Viking Age.

The team has now reached the ground level beneath the mound and found organic matter from vegetation that is nearly 1,200 years old. According to archaeologist Marie Ødegaard, "The burial was so well preserved that I could see blueberry plants and heather that were growing there when they built the mound in the Viking Age. The plants even still had leaves on them."

Beneath the layer of the mound, the team uncovered a stone cairn with a ring of stones around it. This is likely evidence of a much earlier Bronze Age burial, according to Ødegaard.

## A Layer of History

The current excavation has shed new light on the history of the Grønhaug mound. The team's findings suggest that the mound was built in two stages, with the earlier Bronze Age burial buried beneath the Viking ship burial.

## Uncovering the Past

The discovery of the possible Bronze Age grave is a significant find for archaeologists. The well-preserved condition of the burial has allowed researchers to gain a unique insight into the lives of people living in the region over 1,200 years ago.

| Date | Event | | --- | --- | | 1902 | Initial excavation of the Grønhaug mound | | a.d. 864 | Mound built, early in the Viking Age | | 2026 | Current excavation begins, nearly 1,200 years old vegetation found |