Shocking! Norwegian family discovers Viking-era artefacts while searching for lost earring in garden

A family in Norway, while searching for a lost earring in their garden, unexpectedly uncovered ancient Viking-era artefacts, shedding new light on the island's history.

In a remarkable turn of events following a record-breaking gold discovery in Norway using a metal detector, another astonishing find was made by a family using the same device while searching for a lost earring in their garden. The Aasvik family, as reported by the BBC, unearthed ancient artefacts that date back over a millennium. Among their discoveries were a bowl-shaped buckle and another item believed to be associated with a Viking-era burial. Experts suggest that these artefacts were used in the ninth-century burial of a woman on the small island of Jomfruland, located off Norway's southern coast. The findings were made beneath a large tree at the heart of the family's garden on the island.

The Cultural Heritage of Vestfold and Telemark County Council expressed their congratulations to the family for uncovering the first confirmed Viking-era discovery at Jomfruland through a Facebook post.

Additionally, Live Science reported that this newfound evidence, which suggests the existence of an aristocratic Viking woman's grave, provides insights into the origin of the cairns on the island, indicating that they may indeed have been constructed by Vikings.

The larger artefact found within the grave is an oval-shaped brooch, a type commonly worn by women to fasten the shoulder straps of their halter dresses at the front. Vibeke Lia, an archaeologist affiliated with the Vestfold and Telemark County Council, explained to Live Science that such brooches were frequently found in the graves of Viking women, with their distinctive style characteristic of the ninth century. She also noted that these brooches were typically found in pairs, used to secure each shoulder strap, implying that another similar artefact may yet be discovered at the site.