Archaeologists studying the melting Norwegian glacier Landbreen have found an abundance of rare artifacts from the Viking Age, writes the magazine “Antiquity”.
Among them is a perfectly preserved wooden box in which the remains of a candle were found.
Research on the glacier began a decade ago. Archaeologists have previously found that there was once a mountain pass, which was actively used by the Vikings. The passage has remained open for several millennia, but in recent centuries it has disappeared under a thick layer of ice.
At the beginning of the century, the ice began to melt and reveal historical relics. Scientists have found a total of more than 6,000 artifacts.
Two years ago, a box of pine wood with leather straps was found, the purpose of which scientists have long been unable to determine. Their radiocarbon analysis shows that the box was made between 1475 and 1635.
Archaeologists initially thought it was a log accidentally lost during a transition. However, it turns out that the carcass is actually a box that contains beeswax. Researchers have concluded that these are the remains of a long candle that the Vikings probably used to light their way during long voyages.
Global warming, which has led to the retreat of glaciers, is helping Norwegian archaeologists make important discoveries. Last year, they found nearly 70 arrows, as well as shoes, textiles and deer bones, on a mountain slope in Jutunheimen.
Elsewhere, archaeologists have found more than 100 artifacts, including horseshoes, a wooden stirrer, a wooden needle, a glove, and a small iron knife.
Scientists note that they are in a “race against time” because the ice keeps the ancient artifacts almost intact. However, once found in the open, they can be destroyed in 10-20 years, and it is important for archaeologists to find them before they happen.
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