Burial of Elite Viking Woman and Her Dog Discovered in Norway

After metal detectorists found brooches on Senja Island, a team of archaeologists carried out a large-scale excavation and discovered the burial site of a Viking woman and her dog.

On the remote Norwegian island of Senja, archaeologists have unearthed a boat grave dating back to 900 AD that contained the remains of a remarkable woman and her canine companion.

The grave was first discovered by metal detectorists two years ago, but excavations only began in May 2025, and researchers were amazed at how well-preserved the skeletons and burial offerings were. The burial now offers rare insight into the personal lives of the Vikings who inhabited Norway more than 1,000 years ago.

Boat grave on the island of Senja

Museum of the Arctic University of Norway (UiT) Viking boat burial site on Senja island.

Two years ago, metal detectorists were exploring the island of Senja when they found a pair of bronze bowl-shaped brooches and exposed ribs beneath a thin layer of topsoil. The discovery prompted local archaeologists to conduct a full excavation of the area last month.

Archaeological work has uncovered a boat grave, the body of a Viking woman and the skeleton of a small dog, which was likely her pet.

“The dog appears to have been placed there with great care,” archaeologist Anja Roth Niemi told Science Norway. “While dogs are not uncommon in graves, their presence is still relatively unusual. This adds a personal touch to the burial.”

The boat itself was about 18 feet long. According to Niemi, such a grave indicates a person’s high status in Viking society, as “only the elite received such burials.”

“We believe that the woman buried here had a significant status locally and perhaps regionally,” Niemi added. “She was not at the very top of the social ladder, but she was clearly an important figure.”