the Oseberg ship on display in the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo

Viking ship's buried clues may reveal identities of mystery women

Found buried on a farm in Oseberg, Norway, an ancient Viking ship held sleighs, tapestries, silken bands, and the bones of two unidentified women.

The Oseberg ship is on display in the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo. Built of oak around A.D. 820, the craft is especially noteworthy for its spiral-shaped prow, carved in the form of a serpent’s head. There are no signs that the vessel ever went to sea, so it is believed that its sole use was funereal.
Photograph by UNIVERSITY OF OSLO
This content is Subscriber-Exclusive
You must have a National Geographic subscription to explore this article.

Read This Next

Is banning fishing bad for fishermen? Not in this marine reserve
SeaWorld allegedly violated the Animal Welfare Act. Why is it still open?
'World’s worst shipwreck' was bloodier than we thought

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet