The small figurine resembles a bear or a boar, and it is in remarkably good condition.
AntikvaThe small carved figurine found at the excavation site. Archaeologists have different theories about what animal this is supposed to be.
Archaeologists working at a medieval site in the Icelandic village of Seyðisfjörður recently announced the discovery of an artifact that may have been a toy. Carved from volcanic rock, the small figurine resembles an animal, possibly a bear or a boar, and is incredibly well preserved.
Researchers noted that it’s rare for toys to be found at archaeological sites — and even rarer for them to be found in such good condition.
A Rare Toy From An Icelandic Excavation
The discovery of the small artifact was announced via a statement to local paper Austurfrétt on Aug. 14. In the statement, the director of the excavation, Ragnheiður Traustadóttir, went into further detail about the theories surrounding the figurine.
“We are examining the object more closely, but we still interpret it as a toy,” she said. “There are various opinions on what kind of animal it is.”
Most members of the team seem to think the toy resembles a bear or a boar, though some have suggested that it could be an Icelandic dog. Ragnheiður, however, doesn’t subscribe to the latter theory.
“When you hold the object,” she said, “it doesn’t seem like a dog.”
AntikvaA member of the excavation team holding the small object.
The object is just under two inches long and made of volcanic tuff, a soft volcanic rock. While one of its ears is damaged, it is otherwise remarkably well preserved and can even stand upright on its own when placed on a flat surface.
“It is rare for toys to be found in excavations here in Iceland,” Ragnheiður said. “But it is entirely logical since children existed in this period, as in any other.”
AntikvaA closer view of the artifact when it was recovered.
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Other Artifacts Found During The Seyðisfjörður Excavation
While the possible toy found during the Seyðisfjörður excavation is certainly an exciting discovery, it is not the only remarkable find from the site. Archaeologists have been working at the East Iceland village since 2020, during which time they have recovered numerous artifacts dating from 940 to 1100 C.E.
Among these artifacts were various game pieces and pearls, as well as a small bead which features the colors of the Icelandic flag. This summer alone, more than 600 artifacts have been found at the site, including 70 chess piece fragments.
Earlier excavations also proved to be fruitful. In September 2021, Austerfrétt reported on another monumental discovery at Seyðisfjörður, when archaeologists found a pit demarcated with stones that held a number of bones.
“This pit is special,” Ragnheiður said at the time. “We have found a lot of bones in it, including whale bones. It’s as if trash was put in it, but possibly it was dug for another purpose.”
Archaeologists also recovered game pieces for an ancient game known as boxing, which was played from the Viking Age to the Middle Ages. The rules of the game are not fully known today, and as such, the discovery of the game pieces offered some unique insight into the game.
Excavations at Seyðisfjörður will conclude this summer.
After reading about this toy discovered during Icelandic excavations, learn all about the country’s founding — and the dirty secret behind it. Then, peruse this breathtaking gallery of Iceland’s northern lights.
