Apostle figurine sheds light on Catholic-era Faroes

An approximately 10-centimetre-high figurine of an apostle found during an excavation at Sondum on Sandur sheds light on the Catholic period in the Faroe Islands, Kringvarp Føroya reports.

The figurine is made of pipe clay and dates from the 15th or 16th century. Earlier this summer, archaeologists also found a small figurine of Mary with the infant Jesus.

The finds offer insight into the period and the medieval prayer house at Sondum. Their presence in a Faroese prayer house indicates links with the European Catholic Church.

Figurines of this kind were expensive, said Helgi Michelsen, head of the National Museum’s archaeology department.

It is difficult to determine which apostle the figurine represents because one of its hands is broken off. If the figure had held a key, it could have been the apostle Peter. If it had held a cross, it could have been the apostle Andrew. Both are often depicted as older, bearded men.

In its other hand, the apostle holds a pouch book, a leather-bound book. Such books were common in the 15th and 16th centuries.

A protective cover has now been placed over the excavation area for the winter, and work will resume next summer. The National Museum is leading the excavation in cooperation with Moesgaard Museum and Aarhus University. Archaeology students from Aarhus University are taking part as part of their education.