Archaeologists may have found Bjólfur’s missing spear

Archaeologists believe a spear discovered inside a wall at an archaeological site in Seyðisfjörður may have belonged to Bjólfur, the Norwegian settler associated with the area, mbl.is reported.

The weapon was found during work to rebuild the oldest wall of a longhouse at Firði. Ragnheiður Traustadóttir, the archaeologist leading the excavation, described the discovery as highly unusual.

“Weapons from this period are found much more often in burial mounds than inside longhouses or their walls,” she said. “It is therefore an especially interesting addition to the large number of artefacts already recovered during the research at Firði.”

Ragnheiður has led the extensive excavation since 2020. The work has uncovered human remains dating from the 10th to the 20th century, including a longhouse believed to have been in use from about 940 to 1100, four burials containing human and animal bones, and around 5,000 artefacts.

She believes she found Bjólfur in a boat burial beneath Mount Bjólfur in September 2021. The absence of his weapons from the burial attracted attention, as weapons were normally placed in graves with their owners during the period under investigation.

The longhouse was excavated between 2022 and 2024. Rather than removing the walls, the plan is to preserve most of them, rebuild sections where necessary and make the site accessible to residents and visitors. Information signs about the excavation and the history of the location will also be installed.

The Icelandic Heritage Agency is overseeing the rebuilding work, with Ragnheiður acting as an adviser. The excavation was originally carried out in connection with the construction of avalanche protection barriers.

Forverk ehf is rebuilding the walls, led by master turf builder Helgi Sigurðsson. The spear was found by Finnur Eiríksson, one of Helgi’s colleagues, while working inside the oldest wall.