17 June 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Man-made Viking-era cave discovered in Iceland Bigger, Older Than Previously Thought

Archaeologists from the Archaeological Institute of Iceland have uncovered an extensive system of interconnected structures that are not only much larger than initially thought but also much older, during excavations in Viking-era man-made caves near Oddi in South Iceland.

Archaeologists believe that the man-made caves were excavated in the middle of the tenth century. Man-made caves at Oddi were first discovered back in 2018.

The most recent research project revealed a much larger cave that is connected to the broader cave system.

Archaeologist Kristborg Þórsdóttir, who led the research said “The size of these structures is just so vast, there hasn’t been a study of such large structures, and definitely not from this time period in Iceland.” 

Oddi was once one of Iceland’s most important cultural and political seats and home to a powerful clan known as the Oddverjar. Saemundur the Learned (AD 1056-1133), who penned the early chronicles of the Norwegian Kings, was one of the most prominent clan members. He studied in France and wrote one of the earliest histories of the Norwegian kings, although that manuscript was lost.

Kristborg Þórsdottir. The excavation site seen from above
Kristborg Þórsdottir. The excavation site is seen from above

The settlement developed into a major center for culture and learning, with Iceland’s patron saint, Þorlákur Þórhallsson, receiving his education at Oddi from the age of nine (AD 1142-1147).

Archaeologists’ race against time

Kristborg and the team’s biggest problem has been securing the cave and making sure it doesn’t collapse on the people working inside. The texture of the rock is prone to crumble and the cave is deep, which can lead to dangerous outcomes.

Time is of the essence for the team, who feel any delay would result in the loss of precious artifacts and data. The caves are not only at a significant depth, which is dangerous for the archaeologists involved in digging them out, but also built into sandstone. It’s thought that the caves were not used for very long because they are so prone to disintegration.

Photo: Archaeological Institute of Iceland

There’s a lengthy and complicated history waiting to be unearthed

Researchers result, so far, a historic church, farm, and vicarage have been unearthed. In fact, when Christianity came to Iceland around 1000 AD, Oddi was one of the first places to build a church.

Archaeologists believe that the new cave may be a nautahellir, a medieval stall used for cattle and horses. Such caves are mentioned in Bishop Þorlákur’s “Legends of Saints” from AD 1210-1250, where he describes how a nautahellir collapsed with 12 bulls still inside, with only one of the animals being rescued from the rubble

“Although it’s older than that, it’s likely that [the cave] was used for livestock,” explained Kristborg. “Whether it was for that specific bull, we don’t know. But the history of its use obviously goes back further than we’ve managed to trace yet.”

However, there is still a lot we don’t know about this man-made cave. It was likely used for something else before becoming a livestock pen.

According to Kristborg, the caverns at Oddi have a complicated and intriguing tale to tell, but the magnitude of the present research requires her and her colleagues to keep their focus focused. “These are massive buildings and an enormous cave system that we’re only now beginning to comprehend.” […] To get to the bottom of this and track the history of these caves’ use in detail, we’d need to do a much, much larger research with a much larger staff.”

Cover Photo: Lísabet Guðmundsdóttir

Related Articles

Restored walls collapse in 1500-year-old Shahr-e Belqeys, concerns mount over further damage

12 May 2024

12 May 2024

Recently, a portion of the restored walls of 1500-year-old Shahr-e Belqeys (“City of Belqeys”), a historical city made of mudbricks...

2,400-year-old unearthed flush toilet in China

18 February 2023

18 February 2023

According to a China Daily report, the lower parts of a flush toilet estimated to be 2,400 years old have...

Contemporaneous with ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia the Indus Valley Civilization city of ‘Mohenjo Daro’: Skilled urban planners with a reverence for the control of water

10 September 2022

10 September 2022

The Indus River Valley (or Harappan) civilization (3300-1300 BCE) lasted 2,000 years and spanned northeast Afghanistan to Pakistan and northwest...

Archaeologists Uncovered a Terracotta Commander and Warriors at the Mausoleum of China’s First Emperor

12 January 2025

12 January 2025

Archaeologists have unearthed a rare 2,000-year-old statue depicting a high-ranking military commander at the famous Terracotta Army site in China:...

The sensational second discovery in Croatia: Greek-Illyrian Helmet 2500 years old

16 April 2024

16 April 2024

Archaeologists found a 2500-year-old Greek-Ilyrian helmet during excavations in the Gomila area in the town of Zakotorac on Croatia’s Pelješac...

In the “Siberian Valley of the Kings”, archaeologists have discovered a burial mound containing ornate treasures dating back 2,500 years

20 January 2022

20 January 2022

A Polish-Russian team of archaeologists, excavating in the “Siberian Valley of the Kings” have announced the discovery of a burial...

Tombs rich in artifacts discovered by Swedish archaeologists in Cyprus

7 July 2023

7 July 2023

A Swedish archaeological expedition made the extraordinary discovery of tombs outside the Bronze Age trading metropolis of Hala Sultan Tekke...

The 11-meter giant statue of the island of Naxos “Dionysus of Apollonas”

22 March 2023

22 March 2023

One of the two ancient marble quarries, thought to have begun the sculpture, the greatest art of antiquity, is located...

2000-year-old passage found after Latrina at Smyrna Theater

28 January 2022

28 January 2022

Archaeologists discovered a 2,000-year-old passage that was 26 meters long and constructed in an “L” form in the theater part...

Extraordinary discovery for the Western Baltic Sea region: a 400-year-old shipwreck Found at Bottom of German River

3 August 2022

3 August 2022

During a routine measurement at Trave, near Lübeck, in the northern part of Germany,  Kiel-Holtenau Waterways and Shipping Authority (Wasserstraßen-...

1-meter tall bronze statue found in China’s Sanxingdui Ruins-Video

17 June 2022

17 June 2022

Chinese archaeologists have discovered a 1-meter tall bronze statue at the site of ancient Sanxingdui ruins site in southwest China’s...

Archaeologists Discovered a New Pyramid Resembling Teotihuacán in Tikal

17 April 2021

17 April 2021

Researchers discovered a new pyramid complex in the Tikal in Guatemala. About 65 km south of El Mirador in the...

‘Astonishingly Preserved’ Ancient Roman Well Found in Cambridgeshire was An Engineering Failure

22 August 2024

22 August 2024

In an excavation at the site of future highway improvements in Cambridgeshire, the team from MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology)...

Archaeologists Discover Fragment of Medieval Inscription of Church in Melnik

1 March 2024

1 March 2024

124 artifacts made of stone, ceramics, and metal were discovered during archaeological excavations in the Church of the Holy Mother...

Archaeologists have made a shocking discovery after a re-examination of a mummified teen mom who died in childbirth

29 December 2023

29 December 2023

Archaeologists have made a shocking discovery after re-examining the mummified remains of a teen mom aged just 14-17 who died...