THIS CONTENT IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY NIKU - Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research - read more
From sacred site to community: This island surprises researchers yet again
For centuries, Selja has been known as Norway’s oldest pilgrimage site. Researchers have now uncovered the remains of yet another previously unknown structure outside the monastery complex.
The discovery strengthens the emerging picture that far more activity took place on the island than the ruins alone have revealed.
This is the third major find at the site in just a few years.
Discovery reveals an unknown life beyond the monastery walls
The Selja monastery and pilgrimage site has been studied and documented by researchers, heritage specialists, and archaeologists for nearly 200 years.
Even so, the island continues to surprise.
In recent years, researchers have uncovered several previously unknown buildings and structures connected to the medieval complex. NIKU building archaeologist Regin Meyer has worked closely with experts in digital archaeology.
Another discovery can now be added to that list.
The newly identified structure is located outside the known monastery walls.
It consists of a substantial stone wall foundation which, according to ground-penetrating radar data, extends from the harbour area and at least thirteen metres southwards across the terrain.
“The wall is two metres thick which indicates a very substantial construction,” says Meyer.
So far, only parts of the wall have been investigated. The structure continues below ground, and researchers do not yet know its full extent.
Age and function remain unknown
It is still too early to determine the building’s function.
Researchers don’t know whether it can be linked to the Benedictine monastery, the bishopric established on Selja in the 11th century, or the earliest phase of the sacred site associated with the cult of the Selja Men.
Meyer has collected both datable material and soil samples from the area. The goal is to determine the age of the structure and gain further insight into the activities that took place there.
“Hopefully, the analyses will help us understand both the date and function of the structure, and the role it may have played in the development of the site,” he says.
The discovery changes our understanding of the site
Selja is one of Norway’s most important medieval sites. The island is associated with Saint Sunniva, the Selja Men, and the early Christianisation of Norway.
Selja eventually developed into a bishopric, a pilgrimage destination, and a monastery complex.
Traditionally, attention has focused on the large ruins that still dominate the landscape.
The site now appears to be more extensive than previously assumed.
The newly discovered structures fit into a pattern of findings that is gradually expanding our understanding of the site.
The findings suggest that Selja was not only a religious centre. The island was also a vibrant environment with diverse forms of activity and settlement.
The third major discovery in just a few years
This is not the first time recent investigations on Selja have produced surprising results.
In 2024, NIKU announced the discovery of traces of an earlier stone church (link in Norwegian) within the ruins of St Sunniva’s Church.
The investigations indicated that the building featured construction characteristics with clear parallels to the Anglo-Saxon building tradition and may represent one of the earliest stone churches in Norway.
Shortly afterwards, researchers also identified a previously unknown medieval building northwest of the monastery. The discovery demonstrated that significant traces of settlement still survive in areas that had never previously been recorded.
The latest discovery builds on this research and highlights the considerable potential for new knowledge that still exists on the island.
Digital technology reveals the hidden past
These discoveries are the result of close collaboration between NIKU’s building archaeologists and specialists in digital archaeology. They are exploring the past using new technology.
Using new documentation methods, terrain modelling, remote sensing, and detailed analyses of the landscape and ruins, researchers can identify traces that previously went unnoticed.
These methods make it possible to re-examine well-known cultural heritage sites.
“Selja is a good example of how even among Norway’s best-known medieval sites, important stories are still waiting to be discovered,” the archaeologist points out.
A broader picture of medieval Selja
This year’s discovery helps paint a more nuanced picture of life on Selja.
Research has traditionally focused on churches, monastic buildings, and pilgrimage activity. The new evidence points to other activities and functions that are not yet fully understood.
“This shows that we still know only part of Selja’s story. The discoveries provide insight into activities that took place beyond the monumental buildings and raise new questions about the people who visited, lived, and worked here,” says Meyer.
This content is paid for and presented by NIKU - Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research
This content is created by NIKU's communication staff, who use this platform to communicate science and share results from research with the public. NIKU is one of more than 80 owners of ScienceNorway.no. Read more here.
More content from NIKU:
-
New discoveries show that Oslo’s royal manor was built over a Viking Age boat grave
-
How shared labour keeps these old herding practices alive
-
Archaeologists debunk period myths from the Middle Ages
-
Archaeologists have uncovered a long-lost medieval market town at Hamar
-
Swedish King Charles XII transported massive ships overland to attack a Norwegian fortress. Researchers have now uncovered the forgotten route
-
According to an Old Norse saga, a man was thrown into a well in 1197 to poison the water. Researchers can now reveal more about who he was
