Teacher finds Viking artifact during school walk

Alexander Stoltzberg, a teacher in Kungsängen, Sweden, discovered a Viking Age artifact while walking during his lunch break.

Stoltzberg, who teaches about the Viking period, initially thought he had found a can or screw, but it turned out to be a bronze bit spacer, part of a horse’s harness, dating from 800 to 1050. The National Heritage Board confirmed the item’s age and rarity. Similar artifacts have been found in Great Britain and are linked to the early 11th century.

The National Heritage Board noted the discovery was “extremely unusual” for Scandinavia, especially given the area had no previously known archaeological sites, making the object’s origins uncertain. The Swedish state will purchase the artifact from Stoltzberg for 2,000 Swedish kronor and plans to exhibit it at the Swedish Historical Museum this spring. Stoltzberg shared the news with his students, who celebrated alongside him, and he said the find helped bring his lessons to life.