Viking‑Age Burial in Norway Puzzles Archaeologists — Two Scallop Shells Placed Over Woman’s Mouth

A metal detectorist working in a coastal field in Trøndelag, central Norway, uncovered more than a single brooch this year: archaeologists excavating the spot found a ninth‑century grave featuring an unusual ritual element not previously documented in pre‑Christian Norwegian burials.

Project leader Raymond Sauvage, head engineer at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology's University Museum, said the grave appears to contain the remains of a woman buried in typical Viking‑Age dress and jewellery. "The most striking feature is two scallop shells placed by the mouth of the deceased, a practice previously unknown from pre‑Christian graves in Norway," he said.

Discovery and context

The find began when metal detectorist Roy Søreng found an oval metal brooch typical of Viking‑Age clothing while searching land privately owned by Arve Innstrand. Archaeologists subsequently exposed a largely intact, shell‑covered skeleton accompanied by additional brooches, other garments, and bird bones. Hanna Geiran, director general of the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage, noted that such preservation is uncommon and that the burial has high cultural‑heritage value.

What was buried with her

Archaeologists report the woman wore an outer dress fastened at the shoulders with two oval brooches and an inner garment closed at the throat with a small ring brooch. The clothing and jewellery suggest she was a free woman, likely married and possibly the mistress of a farm.

The unexpected elements are two large scallop shells placed over the mouth, positioned with their curved sides outward and their straight edges upward, partially covering the jaw, plus scattered bird bones within the grave. Investigators have not yet found holes or definite mounting marks on the shells, so it is unclear whether they were modified or attached to another object.

Origin and possible meanings

The shells are likely from the Great Atlantic scallop, a species common in northeastern Atlantic waters near Trøndelag. Collecting these scallops typically requires diving, so the shells may have been gathered by free‑diving or collected as empty shells on the shore; further study may clarify their origin.

The symbolic meaning of the scallops and bird remains remains unknown. Scallop motifs appear elsewhere in history — for example on a fourth‑century Roman coffin, where they have been interpreted as symbols of life after death, and in the later Middle Ages as emblems of pilgrimage to St. James — but any direct connection to Viking‑Age belief is purely speculative at this stage.

Next steps and significance

Archaeologists also located a second skeleton in the same field that likely dates to the eighth century, several generations before this burial. Researchers plan to examine the bones, conserve the objects, and take samples for radiocarbon dating, isotopic analysis and DNA testing to learn more about the individual's life, diet, origins and any kinship with the earlier burial.

Whether the scallop shells reflect a local ritual, personal symbolism, or another cultural practice, the discovery provides a rare and valuable glimpse into Viking‑Age funerary variation and highlights how much remains to be learned about pre‑Christian funerary customs in Norway.