A rare and delicate Nordic Iron Age artefact known as a “gold man” has been discovered in south-western Norway.
Crafted from thin gold foil and measuring just 1cm in length, the object was found by metal detectorist Kjetil Særheim on his family farm in Klepp, located in Rogaland County, Norway. According to experts, the object dates to approximately AD 550, the beginning of the Viking Age in AD 793.
It depicts a man and a woman and belongs to a class of objects known as gullgubbe, a term that translates as “little gold old man”. These miniature gold figures are among the most intriguing finds from the Nordic Iron Age and are widely believed to have held symbolic or ritual significance.
More than 3,600 gullgubbe have been identified across Scandinavia, with the overwhelming majority discovered in Denmark. Norway has yielded only around 50 examples to date, making the Klepp find particularly notable. It is also the first such discovery in Rogaland in 127 years, underscoring its rarity and importance.
Archaeologists believe that these gold foils were typically associated with high-status sites, particularly large hall buildings that functioned as political, social and religious centres.
Experts suggest that such objects were deposited as offerings, possibly during ceremonial events or as part of foundation rituals.
The new discovery is especially significant due to its proximity to a historic find at Hauge, also in Klepp, where 16 similar gold figures were uncovered in 1897. However, because that earlier discovery was made during routine farming work, little is known about its precise archaeological context. In contrast, the newly discovered artefact has a clearly documented find location, offering researchers a valuable starting point for further investigation.
The surrounding area is already recognised as archaeologically rich. Previous finds include burial mounds and a ring-shaped courtyard, suggesting the presence of an important settlement or ceremonial site.
Experts believe the gold foil may point to the existence of a large hall or even a religious complex, indicating that the area once held considerable cultural and political significance during the Iron Age.
Header Image Credit : Kidane Fanta Gebremariam / Archaeological Museum, Uis
Sources : NRK
