Conny Waters – AncientPages.com – A pH๏τo submitted by an elderly woman has helped glacial archaeologists from Secrets of the Ice to identify a strange ancient artifact.

The Secret of the Ice team has made many incredible discoveries as the ice melts. Not long ago, glacial archaeologists found a rare three-bladed arrowhead in the Jotunheimen Mountains,  Norway. Scientists are certain the last person to touch this object was a Viking.

This strange artifact was hidden under the ice in the Norwegian mountains, but researchers had no clue what it was. Image credit: Secrets of the Ice

Previously reported discovering a pre-Viking arrow buried under the ice for the last 1,500 years. One of the most intriguing finds was an incredibly well-preserved Viking Age ski.

In recent years, hundreds of such discoveries have been made in ice patches, revealing traces of hunting, trapping, traffic, animals, and plant life—small, frozen moments of the past. A huge archaeological world is hidden beneath the ice, and scientists are slowly finding stunning ancient artifacts.

Archaeologists came across an odd artifact that melted out of the ice in the Lendbreen pᴀss, but they had no clue what it was, until a pH๏τo showed up!

“We scratched our heads to try to figure out what it had been used for, but we couldn’t come up with a good answer. The object was exhibited at the local museum. A visiting elderly woman solved the mystery for us.

She had used such objects on a local farm in the 1930s! She told us that it is a bit for young animals, mainly goat kids and lambs, to stop them from getting milk from their mothers.

“We just received this pH๏τo of a similar bit like the one we just published. It was found in between the timbers in an old farmhouse near the Lendbreen pᴀss. Traditions are strong in this area,” the science team said. Image credit: Sveinung Mosnes

The carved furrows on each end originally had a string attached, which was used for fastening behind the ears, so the bit wouldn’t come loose. Usually, such bits were made in juniper, she said, as this is a very tough wood,” the Secret of the Ice team writes on Twitter.

Intrigued to learn more about this curious artifact, scientists had it analyzed, and they were surprised when the results came. It was older than they expected. This small artifact had been lying under the ice for 1,000 years!

Glacial archaeologists found another similar object in the area. Image credit: Secrets of the Ice 

“Prior to radiocarbon dating, the wood species on our piece was also determined to be juniper – the only example of the use of juniper in our more than 200 radiocarbon-dated samples! Now we only needed to know how old it was. The sample traveled to Beta Analytic in Florida.

We were stunned when the result came back: The bit belonged to the 11th century AD – it was 1,000 years old! Now how is that for long-lived material culture and strong local traditions?” the Secret of the Ice team says.

Archaeologists have found a couple more bits in the Lendbreen pᴀss since then. They are a testimony to livestock traveling through the high alтιтude Lendbreen pᴀss a long time ago.

Undoubtedly, the Secret of the Ice team will make many more fascinating discoveries, and we can only guess what remarkable archaeological objects are still hidden beneath the ice.

Written by Conny Waters – AncientPages.com Staff Writer