ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS
The adventure at Borg started in 1981, when pottery emerged from the earth during ploughing. The great chieftain’s seat that once stood here on the hill had been forgotten for a thousand years. When ashes from the hearth and rare pottery appeared in the plough tracks, it was the start of many years of archaeological investigations. It was surprising to find such a large chieftain’s seat so far to the north. The artefacts found indicate that the community had extensive contact with similar cultures in northern and western Europe. It is the sea, ships and fishing that form the basis for Lofoten’s wealth over the centuries.
Gullgubbe
A gullgubbe is a thin, tiny slab of gold. Generally, the plate is only 1 to 2 square centimeters in size, with relief motifs. Five gullgubber were found in the Chieftain’s House at Borg, and two of them are exhibited in the archaeological exhibition – one of the two is the largest of which.
Glass and Ceramics
In the exhibition room there are shards of glass and ceramics found here at Borg. The pottery shards are from a type called Tating. Tating pottery is a special type of pottery that was produced in the north of the Frankish Empire – it has been rare and exclusive in the Nordic countries.
Pointer
In the exhibition there is also a small gold object – part of a pointer. A total of seven such objects have been found – six in England, and one here at Borg. These were a type of pointers used to facilitate the reading of holy scriptures in English churches.
Marine resources
The marine resources laid the foundation for the chiefdoms’ survival, prosperity, and power in the Viking Age. The cod fishery in Lofoten in particular has always supplied the population here with large quantities of fish. This provided a good livelihood.
SELECTED STORIES FROM MUSEUM NORD
Gold and Precious Glassware
Gold and precious glassware are traces of great power, and rich, powerful men and women at Borg. Read more about the archaeological finds here.
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