Archaeologists from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology Museum discovered the remains of a 1,500-year-old Viking settlement during the pre-construction excavation of Norway's Ørland Airport, according to Ars Technica. Most of the area, which in the past was covered by a thick layer of ice that resulted in the Earth's curst being pushed below sea level, eventually sank underwater when the glaciers melted, resulting in the creation of the secluded bay seen today that consists of dry land.
"This was a very strategic place," said Ingrid Ystgaard, project manager at the Department of Archaeology and Cultural History at the museum. "It was a sheltered area along the Norwegian coastal route from southern Norway to the northern coasts. And it was at the mouth of Trondheim Fjord, which was a vital link to Sweden and the inner regions of mid-Norway."
The researchers surveyed an area of the land that spanned approximately 91,000 square meters, which led to the discovery of pot holes for three large U-shaped "longhouses," which is likely where villagers would have conducted gatherings, honored their chieftain and even stored food, according to Gemini. The team plans to continue unearthing more of the village and getting a better idea of its layout over the course of the next year.
In addition to the pot holes, the researchers also discovered large garbage piles that contain everything from jewelry to food, giving them a means of getting an inside looking into the Viking lifestyle. Most of these materials are roughly 1,500 years old, marking the first time that materials of this age have been discovered in Norway.
"There was a lot of activity here," said Ystgaard. "Now our job is to find out what happened here, how people lived. We discover new things every day we are out in the field. It's amazing."
