They discover an ancient Viking ship that could prevent the arrival of the end of the world

An international team of scientists from Iceland, Norway and the United States They discovered a stone boat in Surtshellir Cave in Iceland. According to the researchers, the ship could have been used by the Vikings to prevent the end of the world or Ragnarok.

Based on the results obtained in the study, recently published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, the cave where the maritime vehicle was found nearby is a volcano that erupted almost 1,100 years ago.

“The impacts of this eruption must have been troubling, posing existential challenges for newcomers to Iceland,” say the scientists who were part of the research.

They describe that after the lava cools, the Vikings entered the cave and built a boat, where they performed rituals. Bones of sheep, goats, horses and pigs were burned inside him as a form of protection from the apocalypse.

Furthermore, historical records show that these Germanic warriors thought and perceived this rock formation as if it were Surtr, a mythological giant who would trigger the end of humanity.

“The world would end when Surtr, an elemental being present in the creation of the world, would kill the last of the gods in the battle of Ragnarök then engulf the world in flames“, They explain in a report.

Another theory as to why the Vikings made sacrifices and placed artifacts inside the boat did they try to strengthen Freyr, the god of peace and fertility, who would fight against Surtr to prevent the coming of the end of the world.

Even after Iceland’s conversion to Christianity, people continued to believe in Ragnarök. To corroborate their hypothesis, the researchers cite that the last objects placed in the boat were a set of weights, including one in the shape of a Christian cross.

Surtshellir cave is still associated with the apocalypse. As tradition claims, it continues to be regarded as “the accursed place where the devil or Satan would emerge during the day of judgment.”

JFG