Ancient Viking Graffiti Unearthed in Iceland: Oldest Drawing Found

Archaeologists in Iceland have discovered the country's oldest known drawing, a Viking boat engraving dating back to shortly after A.D. 800. The scratched-out piece of "Viking graffiti" was found in the remains of a longhouse and depicts a partly drawn boat with a sail, a rope connecting the sail to the front of the vessel, and an incomplete hull. The discovery provides insight into Viking Age ship graffiti, which is common in Scandinavia and often found on various materials. The longhouse also yielded artifacts suggesting that a chieftain lived there, making it one of the richest halls from the Viking Age in Iceland.