Viking woman’s grave goods

Assortment of goods found in a woman’s grave

I think that I’m nearing the last few posts about my trip to Iceland and the various museum exhibits I saw there – for today’s post about the Iceland National Museum in Reykjavik I’m going to re-visit a display of grave goods from a Viking Age woman’s grave.

The display included tortoise brooches which I showed in a previous post, a full necklace (also from a previous post) and a festoon that I also explored in a previous post.

Tortoise brooches from a Viking female grave

Beaded necklace from a woman’s grave

Festoon of beads from a Viking Age woman’s gravesite.

Also in the woman’s grave along with the tortoise brooches, full necklace, and festoon was a trefoil brooch, a twisted armband made of bronze, a ringed pin, a belt clasp made of bronze, and tools including a sickle, remains of scissors, spindle whorls, and remnants of wool combs.

Bracelet or arm band from a female grave, as displayed at the Iceland National Museum.

Above – a bronze (?) arm band or bracelet displayed from a woman’s grave. The write up may have said that this was a boat burial (I only copied the Icelandic.. oops!)

Grave goods from a Viking female grave

Above includes the brooches, twisted wire arm band, belt clasp, and other items. This was a pagan grave, and dated to before 1000 CE.

Goods from a woman’s grave

A large look at some of the things in her grave – sewing equipment, knives, bones, bracelets, rings, a bronze bell, Arab coins, a hammer of Thor, (Mjölnir)and other things.

A small hammer of Thor, along with other goods in the woman’s grave

National Museum of Iceland
www.nationalmuseum.is
Suðurgata 41, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
+354 530 2200