Besides the stone boat found in the cave, researchers also found rare Middle Eastern artifacts and ancient ruins.
However, so far they haven’t been able to explain why these things appeared in a cave in Iceland.
Previously, an international team of scientists from Iceland, Norway and the United States discovered a stone boat in Surtshellir Cave in Iceland. Researchers suggest that it may have been used by the Vikings to deal with Ragnarök – the apocalypse in Norse mythology.
According to new research results published in the Journal of Archeological Sciences, this cave is located near a volcano that erupted nearly 1,100 years ago.
“The impact of the eruption must be very disturbing, posing existing challenges for the newly arrived settlers in Iceland,” the researchers said.
Researchers claim that after the lava cools, the Vikings enter the cave and create a boat. This is also where they conduct the rituals.
Bones of sheep, goats, horses and pigs are burned inside ships to ward off the end of the world.
Historical records show that the Vikings worshiped the cave as Surtr, a giant in mythology who would end mankind.
“The world will end when Surtr kills the last god in the Battle of Ragnarök and then engulfs the world in flames,” the study wrote.
Another theory as to why the Vikings made sacrifices and placed artifacts inside the boat was for them to try and strengthen Freyr, the god of peace and fertility, who had fought against Surtr.
Researchers claim that even after Iceland’s conversion to Christianity, they continued to believe in the doomsday myth Ragnarök. To support their hypothesis, the scientists relied on that the last item placed in the boat was a set of weights, with a Christian cross shaped.
In addition, Surtshellir cave is said to be associated with the apocalypse. According to some local sources, it is considered “where Satan will appear on Judgment Day”.
