Vikebukt

People have lived in the Vikebukt area for thousands of years, and the soil beneath the village still holds secrets from a distant past. In the summer of 2003, archaeologists from NTNU Vitenskapsmuseet began excavating a site near Vike Church — a dig prompted by plans for a new road and the Tresfjord Bridge. What they unearthed would capture the attention of archaeological journals and media across the country.

A woman had been laid to rest in a boat more than a thousand years ago. The grave contained a striking collection of artifacts: pearls and gemstones, including amber, along with hand stones, weaving equipment, and other tools typically associated with women of the era. A fragment of a bronze brooch adorned with intricate animal-style ornamentation was also found, with textile remains still attached to the metal — a rare and remarkable detail that spoke of fine craftsmanship.

The boat grave’s design confirmed the burial’s significance. Archaeologists could tell from the grave goods that this had been a woman of high social standing — someone important enough to warrant a monumental farewell. The discovery was named “Husfrua på Vike” (The Lady of Vike). Further investigation of the site also revealed traces of two longhouses, evidence of sustained settlement in the area across centuries.

But the Lady of Vike was not the last Viking-era surprise this soil would yield. In 2022, a couple at nearby Øverås found a rusted metal object while preparing a potato field. After two years stored in their garage, they shared a photo on the Facebook group “Arkeologi i Møre og Romsdal.” County conservator Bjørn Ringstad responded within minutes: it was a double-edged Viking sword, dated to approximately 800 CE. The sword was sent to NTNU in Trondheim for conservation and analysis.

Several burial mounds remain scattered across the Vikebukt landscape, silent witnesses to an age when the fjord settlement was a place of power and prestige. Vikebukt has always been intriguing, and it continues to be a place of fascination today.