Archaeologists in Norway have uncovered the grave of a woman buried alongside a dog in a Viking-era boat burial. The woman is believed to have been a person of importance, as boat graves were a sign of high status during the Viking Age.
Norwegian hobbyists Stig Rune Johannessen and Nils Arne Solvold were out with their metal detectors about two years ago in a field in southeastern Norway when they discovered two oval brooches – common during the Viking Age – along with bone fragments. When archaeologists later examined the site, they dated the brooches to between 900 and 950 AD. Excavation of the grave began last week, confirming it to be a Viking boat burial.
Although the boat was poorly preserved, archaeologists determined it had been about 5.4 meters long. In the center of the boat were the remains of a woman, and at her feet lay the skeleton of a dog.
– Whether it was a pet or served a practical function, we’re not entirely sure yet. But one can imagine that it was an animal of significance to her in life, Anja Roth Niemi, researcher and head of the department of administrative archaeology at the Arctic University Museum of Norway, told the Norwegian state broadcaster NRK.
The woman was buried with a number of grave goods: an iron sickle, a slate whetstone, a possible bronze earring, two disc-shaped beads that may be amber, and what appears to be a weaving sword made from whale bone.
A Unique Find
The grave was just 30 centimeters below the surface, near a garage. It was a so-called flat-ground grave, meaning it lacked a burial mound, which was more typical in Viking times. These types of graves are particularly valuable to researchers because they are often undisturbed.
– Flat-ground graves are quite exciting because they often escape notice, as they’re not visible on the surface, Niemi explained.
The next step is to analyze the remains to learn more about the woman’s life, her health, and the society she lived in. Researchers also hope to identify the breed of dog buried with her and determine how it died. However, archaeologists are fairly confident that the woman belonged to the upper ranks of society.
– Being buried in a boat alone suggests she was a special person. And the grave goods indicate she held fairly high status – at least locally, and possibly regionally, Niemi said.
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American director and actor Woody Allen has been added to Ukraine’s controversial Mirotvorets list. The reason is said to be his video appearance at a film festival in Moscow.
Woody Allen, 89, has been placed on Ukraine’s disputed Mirotvorets database – also known as the “kill list”. The list describes Allen as an “enemy of Ukraine” and accuses him of participating in “a Russian propaganda event”.
The background is that Allen recently participated via video link in Moscow International Film Week. There he spoke primarily about his long career and his personal experiences as a filmmaker.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry condemned his participation and described it as “a disgrace and an insult to the victims among Ukrainian actors and filmmakers”.
Orwellian: Woody Allen had been added to Mirotvorets hit list, which is linked to Ukrainian security services. https://t.co/hsKmm7gt8E
As a consequence, the Lviv National Academic Theatre in western Ukraine has canceled planned productions of Allen’s musical Bullets Over Broadway.
The Oscar-winning director has defended his participation and emphasizes that his appearance was not political.
– I believe strongly that Putin is totally in the wrong, Allen said, but stressed that artistic conversations should be able to continue.
Mirotvorets has existed since 2014 and lists people considered to threaten Ukraine’s security or participate in Russian propaganda. The site has long been criticized internationally, as several people added to the list have been subjected to threats, violence and even killed.
Banned from Hollywood
Woody Allen has been the subject of allegations of sexual abuse against his adoptive daughter Dylan Farrow, which her mother Mia Farrow claims occurred in 1992.
The alleged abuse was investigated at the time by social services and police, but the case was dropped without charges due to lack of evidence.
In connection with the controversial #MeToo movement, the allegations gained new life and sparked extensive debate, although again without any actual legal proceedings taking place.
Allen has since been effectively banned from Hollywood, but has continued to release films internationally, including Rifkin’s Festival (2020) and Coup de chance (2023).
Mirotvorets, which roughly translates to "peacemaker" or "peacekeeper" in English, is a Ukrainian database that publishes names of individuals considered to threaten Ukraine's security or participate in Russian propaganda. The list was started in 2014 and is highly controversial, criticized for lack of transparency and linked to threats and violence against listed individuals.
Among examples of confirmed and notable names on the list are:
Alexander Ovechkin, Russian hockey player, listed for his support of Putin.
Roger Waters, musician and activist, after statements supporting Russia's position on Crimea.
Gerhard Schröder, former German chancellor, listed for "pro-Russian" statements.
Viktor Orbán, Hungary's prime minister, placed on the list in 2022.
Zoran Milanović, Croatia's president, added for "pro-Russian" comments.
Vasyl Lomachenko and Oleksandr Usyk, Ukrainian boxers, listed after participating in Russian projects.
Anatolij Shariy, Ukrainian opposition politician and journalist.
Sources: Wikipedia ("Myrotvorets"), UNIAN, OSCE, Human Rights Watch.
Norwegian and German leaders are joining forces to finance two American Patriot systems for Ukraine. The price tag for the country’s citizens amounts to seven billion Norwegian kroner (approximately €600 million).
The announcement comes just over a month after Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Labor Party) met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin.
— Together with Germany, we are now ensuring that Ukraine receives powerful air defense systems. Germany and Norway cooperate very closely to support Ukraine in the fight to defend the country and protect the civilian population against Russian air attacks, Støre states in a press release.
The package includes two Patriot systems including missiles. Norway is also contributing to the purchase of air defense radar from German manufacturer Hensoldt as well as air defense systems from Norwegian company Kongsberg.
The American-manufactured Patriot system has been something that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly requested, and US President Donald Trump has expressed willingness to provide Ukraine with the systems provided that Europe foots the bill.
— This is a major investment in effective air defense. The support will give Ukraine important tools to protect Ukrainian lives and contribute to a stronger defense, says Norwegian Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik.
“Devastating power”
According to the Norwegian government, Patriot is “a highly effective air defense system that can combat multiple threats, particularly tactical ballistic missiles”.
— These missiles have great destructive power and cannot be stopped by conventional air defense. Patriot has long-range radar, missiles with very high speed and long range. These characteristics combined enable Patriot to combat ballistic missiles, according to the government’s statement.
— Based on our excellent cooperation with Norway, we are very grateful that we are collaborating on this support measure, and that we will thereby together significantly strengthen Ukraine’s air defense capability, comments German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
Hundreds of billions from the West
Critics have pointed out that Western countries have so far delivered weapons packages to Ukraine worth hundreds of billions of euros – money that comes from European taxpayers while many countries are implementing welfare cuts and domestic investments are being postponed.
Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed that the country would purchase American weapons for around $100 billion – financed by Europe – in exchange for American security guarantees after a potential peace agreement with Russia.
The total support from the EU and US to Ukraine since February 2022 is difficult to determine exactly – different sources and calculation methods yield different figures. At the turn of the year, analysts estimated the sum to be between $290 and $400 billion.
The third Thursday in August traditionally marks the premiere for eating the Swedish – strongly fragrant – dish surströmming. The fermented fish, which is both hated and loved by Swedes, has a long tradition – particularly in Norrland (northern Sweden).
Fermentation is one of humanity’s oldest methods for treating and preserving food. In Sweden, for example, archaeological finds from fermentation facilities in southern Sweden have been discovered that are 9,000 years old.
Fermenting fish specifically was something that was very common primarily in the northern and western parts of Sweden, writes Levande historia. As early as 1572, fermented fish is mentioned, and the oldest evidence for the word surströmming is from 1732. It was naturally common to make fermented fish from herring, but other types of fish were also used: roach, perch, as well as whitefish, trout and char.
Even though surströmming has a very special odor, “sur” (sour) doesn’t mean it’s spoiled or rotten, but simply that it’s acidified.
Salted and fermented herring
Salting was also a common way to preserve fish. The difference between salting and fermenting is precisely the amount of salt, but also fermentation. When making salted herring, you use a high amount of salt that prevents bacteria in the fish from fermenting and thus preserves it. With surströmming, you instead use a lower amount of salt and let the bacteria ferment.
Gustav Vasa’s salt shortage
During the 16th century, Sweden was hit by a salt shortage because the then-king Gustav Vasa allegedly mismanaged his credits with trading partner Lübeck, something that Surströmming Academy writes about. As punishment for this, salt deliveries to Sweden were cut off. This in turn led to a marked increase in the production of fermented fish and surströmming because less salt was required.
Even during the 18th century, Sweden was hit by another salt shortage due to discord with England. The salt shortage led to less production of salted herring, and more surströmming.
Birch bark and barrels
To produce surströmming, the fish was first cleaned, then lightly salted in a barrel and covered with birch bark. The barrel was closed with a tight lid. There is evidence that the barrel was often buried and the fermentation process allowed to take place this way, which has led to the fish sometimes being called “grave fish”. Otherwise, the barrels were often stored in a lakeside shed. The fish fermented during the summer and was then eaten in the fall.
Surströmming premiere at restaurant Tennstopet in 1950. Photo: Gunnar Lantz
From everyday food to delicacy
Surströmming was common everyday food in the past and was often eaten by simple and poor households, primarily along the Norrland coast (northern Sweden’s coastline). Originally, surströmming was sold in the barrels it was made in or in open vessels, but during Sweden’s industrialization, the fish began to be sold in canned form.
During the latter part of the 20th century, Swedes began to regard surströmming as a delicacy. In 1940, it was legislated that the surströmming premiere should be the third Thursday in August. This was because authorities wanted to ensure that the fish had fermented sufficiently before it was sold and eaten by the public. The law remained until 1988, but despite this, the tradition of the surströmming premiere lives on primarily in the northern parts of Sweden.
Ulvön island is often called the island of surströmming because it was the place where the fish began to be produced in larger volumes. Today, no industrial production of surströmming takes place on the island, but the spirit of surströmming lives on among the population. In 1999, for example, the Surströmming Academy was founded to maintain the culture. Today there is a museum and the surströmming premiere is a traditional highlight on the island.
Traditional celebrations also exist in other cities. Today there are nine salteries that produce surströmming in Sweden.
Today, half of all surströmming is consumed north of the Dalälven river and the other half south of the river, particularly in Stockholm, Sweden. More than half of those who eat surströmming do so only once a year.
Schnapps is part of it
Eating surströmming is a festive occasion where family and friends gather to eat the fermented fish. It’s a tradition that lives on and not much has changed regarding how it’s eaten.
Due to the strong smell, it’s recommended to open it outdoors, but this wasn’t done in the past. Then you weren’t a “real surströmming eater,” according to stories recorded by the Institute for Language and Folklore.
“You opened the lid and the good ‘whiff’ was allowed to spread. Then you take the surströmming directly from the can and eat it like that”, told Karin Wedin (born 1884), Per Perssson (born 1891) and Anders Liiv (born 1881) in Hedesunda and Valbo, Gästrikland in 1973 (Isof Uppsala, ULMA 29063).
After chewing the surströmming directly from the can, it was also common to eat it with accompaniments. These accompaniments are still eaten today and consist of boiled almond potatoes, flatbread, chopped onion and sour cream. Often the surströmming is placed on the flatbread together with the accompaniments, but you can also make a so-called surströmming sandwich where you also butter the bread and fold it together into a sandwich.
It’s often served with schnapps, but also beer, something that also lives on from the past.
“You drink schnapps the whole time. It’s said that real surströmming lovers eat up to twenty herrings”, the same storytellers as above have testified.
Classic serving of surströmming. Photo: Robert Anders/CC BY 2.0
“Surströmming Challenge”
During the 2010s, surströmming reached foreign shores, not because of its delicacy status in Sweden – but because of its “stinking” character. On social media, under the hashtag “stinkyfishchallenge”, it became popular for people to film themselves both opening surströmming cans and eating it.
The viral spread has made surströmming more famous in Swedish food culture and attracts food enthusiasts as well as tourists to surströmming events.
Norwegian Progress Party politician Sylvi Listhaug has grown tired of Greta Thunberg "repeatedly" returning to Norway to participate in climate activist actions.
Climate activist protests at Norway’s largest oil refinery have triggered harsh criticism from opposition leader Sylvi Listhaug, who is now demanding that Swedish activist Greta Thunberg be expelled from the country.
Monday’s blockade at Equinor Mongstad outside Bergen, Norway, gathered approximately 200 demonstrators from the widely media-covered group Extinction Rebellion. The activists blocked roads to the refinery, which is the country’s largest and primarily produces gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel.
Progress Party leader Sylvi Listhaug launches a fierce attack against Thunberg in a podcast with Bergen newspaper Bergens Tidende. She is upset that the Swedish activist repeatedly travels to Norway to participate in protests and actions, and believes that enough is enough.
Listhaug, who often profiles herself as a tough law-and-order politician, believes that Thunberg’s repeated demonstrations constitute a serious problem requiring drastic measures.
— I believe she should be expelled, says Listhaug, who even describes Thunberg as a “Swedish gang criminal”.
Thunberg, who temporarily left the demonstration to return on Tuesday, explained the action’s purpose in a press release:
“We are here because there is no future in oil. Fossil fuels lead to death and destruction”, it states.
“Breaks the rules of the game”
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre tries to navigate between fundamental rights and practical consequences. In Bergen newspaper Bergensavisen, he emphasizes that Norway stands firm on freedom of expression and demonstration, but simultaneously signals that the activists’ methods are unacceptable when they prevent ordinary people from getting to work.
— It breaks the rules of the game. There are people going to work and they shouldn’t have to experience insecurity with that, the prime minister emphasizes.
The view of Thunberg among European leaders has changed markedly since she was celebrated as a teenager at summits around the world.
After she expanded her activism to include criticism of Israel’s war crimes in Gaza and other political issues, she has increasingly begun to be regarded as a disruptive element and an “extremist” who must be stopped or restricted – a sharp contrast to how she was previously portrayed as a hero and role model for young Europeans.
