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We took this picture in the Orkney Museum in Kirkwall, Scotland. It was an interesting find in the small, cramped museum that we nearly overlooked. One of our favourite things about this discovery was how unexpected it was to come across such an incredible artifact in a remote area. Pieces like this are often moved to larger museums, so it added to the sense of adventure we felt while in Orkney.

We have seen similar plaques in museums across Norway and Denmark, but this was the best preserved one we have encountered, even though it is around 1,100 years old. The description below the piece read, “This very fine plaque is made of whalebone. It had been propped up at the foot of the grave. Plaques like these were probably used for linen smoothing.” (Scar, Sanday, excavated 1991.)

The imagery features stylized dragons, and the plaque was excavated alongside assorted treasure, a boat, and the remains of three people.