Emily Chan
At a medieval site in Iceland, archaeologists have unearthed what they believe to be a Viking Age toy. The small stone figurine resembles some sort of animal, possibly a bear, a pig, or a dog—the researchers can’t decide which one is the best match.
The artifact dates back between 940 and 1000 C.E. It was found on the Fjordur farm in Seydisfjordur. Since excavations began there in 2020, the site has yielded an abundance of archaeological treasures.
According to the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research (NIKU), the mysterious toy is five centimeters long and 2.7 centimeters tall. It is carved from a type of volcanic rock known as palagonite tuff.
There is a slight chip on one of its ears, but it is still in good shape and stands on all fours when placed on a flat surface.
“It is rare for toys to be found in excavations here in Iceland,” said Ragnheidur Traustadóttir, the director of the excavation. “But it is entirely logical since children existed in this period, as in any other.”
The toy provides insight into the lives of past Icelandic children since very little about children from the Viking Age is known. Many members of the archaeological team think the figurine is of a pig, while others believe it represents a bear. Some speculate that it could depict a type of Nordic Spitz dog, an ancestor of the Icelandic sheepdog.
When the object is held up, it doesn’t look much like a dog. So, the pig or bear theory seems more likely, which is further supported when considering that both animals have a long history in the region.
During the Viking Age, pigs were raised as livestock by Norse people. Starting from the settlers’ arrival in Iceland in the late ninth century, around 600 polar bears have been spotted on the island.
Excavations at Seydisfjordur were only supposed to be carried out for two years, but they have persisted for five now. Researchers have come across a multitude of artifacts.
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