Oseberg tumulus, Viking burial site in Tønsberg, Norway
Oseberg tumulus is a Viking burial mound standing about four meters high and containing the remains of a Viking ship along with numerous ninth-century artifacts. The structure was carefully constructed to preserve the vessel and valuable objects placed with the deceased.
The burial was created around 834 CE and excavated in 1904, revealing a complete Viking ship and two female skeletons. This discovery unveiled an important ceremony and transformed understanding of women's roles in Viking-age society.
The burial site reveals how Vikings honored their dead and what objects they considered essential for the afterlife. Textiles, tools, and intricately carved wooden items tell stories of daily life and craftsmanship in that era.
The original artifacts are displayed at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, but the burial mound itself can be visited on-site with informational signs. The location is easy to access and offers insight into the original burial place, even though the objects are exhibited elsewhere.
The burial contains the remains of two women who held positions of high authority and received elaborate burial rituals. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the actual power dynamics between men and women in Viking-age society.
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