The last time it was touched by the Vikings: scientists found a very rare artifact

Researchers discovered the metal weapon while exploring a new site in the Jotunheimen mountains.

Here the ancient Vikings hunted the northerndeer. An archaeological team from the Oslo Museum of Cultural History and the Secrets of the Ice project, based in Innlandet County, Norway, shared the findings on social media.

"Look at this little handsome man, -the researchers wrote in a post. “The last person to touch this tip was a Viking.” The length of the tip is 10 cm and scientists were very surprised to find an artifact in this region of the country.

Photo: Secrets of the Ice

Arrowheads with three blades have been known since the Viking Age in Norway, but are very rare compared to the usual two-bladed ones.

"Arrowheads with three blades used,to inflict a larger wound on the game that the Vikings hunted - in this case, the reindeer, ”the scientists explain. At first, scientists decided that this was a combat arrow designed to pierce chain mail. However, experts noted that the tip is too wide for this.

Photo: Secrets of the Ice

While it is still too early for researchers to establish a definitive date on the rust-stained arrowhead, they believe it is from the Viking Age, meaning it is between 1,000 and 1,200 years old.

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Cover photo: JC Merriman, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons