Pre-Christian graves in a new light

An exhibition about archaeological research on burial mounds on Dysnes in Eyjafjörður, north Iceland.

In 2017 six pre-Christian burial mounds were found at Dysnes in Eyjafjörður, north Iceland. Research on them has thrown new light on pre-Christian burial customs. The location of the burial ground is unusual as well as the size of the mounds and structures built over the graves. All the mounds had demonstrably been re-opened in pre-Christian times.

The burials contained rich and varied grave goods, including swords, spears, brooches, a silver ring and beads. Two individuals had been buried in boats. During the excavation over 900 nails were unearthed, mostly from the boats. The exhibition displays a selection of the artefacts from Dysnes.

The exhibition is set up in cooperation between the Institute of Archaeology and the National Museum of Iceland.