A stone toy from the Viking Age has stunned scientists dead end (4 photos)

An ancient stone figurine that looks like a child's toy has been found at an excavation site in Iceland. But opinions are divided on what it represents.





Archaeologists in Iceland have discovered a rare stone toy that dates back to the Viking Age. The small figurine of a four-legged animal with a broken ear was found at the Seirisfjörður excavation site. Most of the archaeological team believe that it represents a pig, as the Vikings bred pigs for meat. However, two members of the team suggested that it could be a bear, although bears are not native to Iceland.



After photos of the figurine were posted on social media, many users confidently claimed that it was an Icelandic dog. But excavation director Ragneidur Traustadottir is skeptical about this version, as, in her opinion, the facial features do not match a dog. She herself owned an Icelandic dog for 14 years.

Who is it: a pig, a bear, an Icelandic dog, or something else entirely?





Excavations in Fjörður, named after a historic farm, began in 2020 and are still ongoing. During this time, archaeologists have discovered many interesting finds dating back to different historical periods - from the Middle Ages to the Viking Age. Among the finds are a burial mound, a mill, a sheepfold, as well as four Viking graves buried under a landslide from the 11th century.



In just five years of excavations, archaeologists have collected around 4,000 artefacts, including around 100 playing pieces from the Viking board game "hnefatafl" made from the same stone as the mysterious figurine. Although it is not known exactly who carved the pieces or why, Traustadóttir suggests that someone may have carved them for a child on a winter's night.

The excavations at Fjörður are set to conclude soon, after which archaeologists will begin studying the thousands of artefacts found to shed light on the history of the site.