– Many points to this being a sailing ship built in 770, 50 years before the Oseberg ship, says associate professor at the Archaeological Museum, University of Stavanger, Håkon Reiersen. Spectacular Viking finds have been made at Torvastad on Karmøy. – These are spectacular discoveries that shed new light on the first Viking kings, says Reiersen. He has led the research project. In 1886, the burial mound Storhaug was opened. This is located in Torvastad on Nord-Karmøy, but is part of the Avaldsnes project. In addition to a 27-metre Viking ship, two swords, a spear and a glass board game were found, among other things. New burial mound found Now they have made a new discovery in the same burial mound. – What we found surprised us greatly. We have found the stern of a ship under a drawbridge that was built later. And parts of a small boat, says Reiersen. The ship they have found is the first direct evidence of the use of sails in Scandinavia. In June last year, they also found a new Viking grave in the area. It is the third in a row, after just Storhaug and a grave at Grønhaug. These are ship graves or royal graves. The archaeologists have kept the findings secret until now. – These graves are the oldest in Europe. The royal funeral custom originated here, says Reiersen. The new grave is 40–50 in diameter. It was partially investigated at the beginning of the 20th century, but then they found little. The Oseberg ship was built around the year 820. Now they have found a ship that is 50 years older. Photo: Unknown/Oslo museum – Completely unique Now they have found a ship here too, with the help of georadar surveys. The ship is believed to be 20 meters long. – It is completely unique that we have three ship graves in such a limited area, he says. The findings mean that the theory of a kingdom ruled from Avaldsnes before Harald Hårfagre is strengthened. – Karmøy has the geographically densest concentration of ship graves. Avaldsnes on Karmøy, which is located a few kilometers from the discovery sites, was a center of power in the Viking Age. And several research projects have been carried out here. The research project that is currently underway is part of the Maktens havn project which started in 2019. The project has focused on the harbor areas around Avaldsnes. Funded by a private person The investigations that have led to the findings presented today have been funded by Per Sand. He lives in Hedmarken and has no connection to Karmøy. – I am very interested in Norwegian history and especially the Viking Age, Sand justified the monetary gift in an interview with news last year. For 3,500 years, Avaldsnes was a center of power along the coast. Kings sat here and controlled ship traffic through the Karmsundet – the shipping route that was once called the Nordvegen and which gave us the name of our country. Along the Karmsundet, the kings were buried together with their ships.
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Have found a Viking ship from the 8th century and a new grave on Karmøy – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
