In 2023, metal detectorists working a low embankment in the village of Sand on northeastern Senja found two bronze bowl-shaped brooches and rib bones just 20 centimetres below the surface. A full excavation followed in May 2025 by archaeologists from the Arctic University Museum of Norway.
They uncovered a well-preserved boat burial dating to around AD 900 to 950. The wooden boat was about 5.4 metres long, laid just below ground level on a low beach ridge overlooking Malangen fjord and Gisundet. Inside lay the remains of a woman, positioned on her side with bent knees, her arms crossed in front of her body. At her feet lay a small dog, carefully placed.
This is the first boat grave ever found on Senja. It shows that the island was home to people of status during the Viking Age, not just a seasonal fishing outpost. The exact location is a field near the village of Sand. There is nothing to see on site yet, but the find may eventually lead to a permanent marker or information board.
They uncovered a well-preserved boat burial dating to around AD 900 to 950. The wooden boat was about 5.4 metres long, laid just below ground level on a low beach ridge overlooking Malangen fjord and Gisundet. Inside lay the remains of a woman, positioned on her side with bent knees, her arms crossed in front of her body. At her feet lay a small dog, carefully placed.
This is the first boat grave ever found on Senja. It shows that the island was home to people of status during the Viking Age, not just a seasonal fishing outpost. The exact location is a field near the village of Sand. There is nothing to see on site yet, but the find may eventually lead to a permanent marker or information board.