Viking dogs: what archaeology reveals about dogs and their owners
See the real story – guest starring your dog.
Bring your dog along as you look at what archaeology says about dogs in the Viking Age. Archaeologists have found dogs buried in boat graves with their owners, and cremated dog remains show that Vikings sometimes brought dogs with them across the North Sea. Archaeologists have found dog bones in a Viking boat grave in Norway, in boat burials in Sweden, and in the only known Scandinavian cremation cemetery in Britain. One dog breed alive today, the Icelandic Sheepdog, traces back to dogs the Vikings brought to Iceland.
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The story in 5 parts
A short version first. The full story, with every detail, is further down.
Part 1
A dog buried with a Viking woman in Norway
In 2025, archaeologists excavated a Viking boat grave on the island of Senja in northern Norway.
Part 2
Boat burials with dogs and horses in Sweden
At Gamla Uppsala in Sweden, archaeologists have found six Viking Age boat burials in an area called the prästgården, or vicarage yard.
Part 3
A cremation cemetery in Britain
Heath Wood in Derbyshire is the only known Scandinavian cremation cemetery in the British Isles.
Part 4
The Icelandic Sheepdog's Viking roots
If you want to see a living link to Viking-era dogs, look at the Icelandic Sheepdog.
Part 5
What the evidence tells you about Vikings and their dogs
Put together, these finds show that some Viking dogs were buried with care.
Read the full story
Part 1
A dog buried with a Viking woman in Norway
In 2025, archaeologists excavated a Viking boat grave on the island of Senja in northern Norway. The grave held a woman along with a dog placed at her feet. It dates to around 900 to 950 CE, based on the style of two oval brooches found with her. The archaeologist leading the dig said the dog appeared to have been placed with real care. She also said dogs have been found in Viking graves before, though not very often. Saga literature backs up the idea that Vikings felt strong bonds with their dogs, including stories of owners doing everything they could when a dog fell ill.
Part 2
Boat burials with dogs and horses in Sweden
At Gamla Uppsala in Sweden, archaeologists have found six Viking Age boat burials in an area called the prästgården, or vicarage yard. The burials date from about 750 to 1100 CE, and several contained the remains of dogs. Researchers studied the bones of three dogs, one from each of three boat graves. Two of the dogs were large, slender sighthounds, while the third was smaller and of an unclear type. This matches earlier finds from the nearby boat cemeteries of Vendel and Valsgärde, where sighthounds also turn up in high-status graves. Separate excavations near Old Uppsala uncovered two more boat burials with a dog and a horse buried alongside a human, all in good condition. Boat burials like these were reserved for important people, since burial by boat was rare even among Vikings.
Part 3
A cremation cemetery in Britain
Heath Wood in Derbyshire is the only known Scandinavian cremation cemetery in the British Isles. It dates to the late ninth century and is linked to the Viking Great Army, which overwintered nearby at Repton in 873 to 874. Researchers studying the site found cremated remains of three humans and a few animals, including a horse, a dog, and a possible pig. Strontium isotope analysis suggested these animals, along with one of the humans, did not grow up locally. The results point to an origin near the Baltic Shield, and the animals appear to have died soon after arriving in Britain. The researchers describe this as the first solid scientific evidence that Scandinavians crossed the North Sea with horses, dogs, and other animals as early as the ninth century.
Part 4
The Icelandic Sheepdog's Viking roots
If you want to see a living link to Viking-era dogs, look at the Icelandic Sheepdog. The breed descends from dogs brought to Iceland by Viking settlers, starting around the year 874. It is the only dog breed native to Iceland. These dogs worked on farms, herding sheep and horses across rough terrain. In the nineteenth century, disease and a tax linked to a tapeworm problem sharply reduced the breed's numbers. Breeders in Iceland and abroad worked to save the breed in the twentieth century, and Iceland's national parliament later declared it part of the country's cultural heritage.
Part 5
What the evidence tells you about Vikings and their dogs
Put together, these finds show that some Viking dogs were buried with care. Some dogs were cremated and crossed the North Sea with the Viking Great Army, while others were laid in boat graves meant for people of high status. A dog breed shaped in that era still exists today, descended from dogs Viking settlers brought to Iceland. If you look into your own dog's place in history like this, it is a reminder that the bond between people and dogs is not new.
Questions people ask
Did Vikings really bury dogs with their owners?
Yes, archaeologists have found dogs buried alongside Vikings in boat graves in Norway and Sweden, and cremated dog remains in a Viking cemetery in Britain.
What breed of dog did Vikings have?
Researchers studying boat graves at Gamla Uppsala found that some Viking dogs were large, slender sighthounds, while other dogs found in Viking burials were smaller and of an unclear type. Separately, dogs the Vikings brought to Iceland became the ancestors of the modern Icelandic Sheepdog.
Why were dogs buried with Vikings?
The dog at one Viking woman's grave in Norway appears to have been placed with real care, and saga literature suggests deep bonds between Vikings and their dogs.
Is the Icelandic Sheepdog descended from Viking dogs?
Yes, the Icelandic Sheepdog descends from dogs brought to Iceland by Viking settlers starting around the year 874, and it is the only dog breed native to Iceland.
What is the evidence that Vikings brought dogs across the sea?
Strontium isotope analysis of cremated animal remains at Heath Wood in Derbyshire showed a dog, horse, and possible pig did not grow up locally and likely came from the area of the Baltic Shield. Researchers call this the first solid scientific evidence that Scandinavians crossed the North Sea with horses, dogs, and other animals as early as the ninth century.
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Sources
- Sr analyses from only known Scandinavian cremation cemetery in Britain illuminate early Viking journey with horse and dog across the North Sea. PubMed Central (PMC).
- Viking Age woman was buried with her dog in an elaborate. Live Science, Jun 17, 2025.
- Three Dogs from the Late Iron Age Boat Grave Cemetery at Gamla Uppsala Prästgården, Sweden | European Journal of Archaeology | Cambridge Core. Cambridge Core.
- A Viking woman was buried here with her dog. ScienceNorway, Jun 5, 2025.
- Viking man, horse, and dog found in extremely rare type of burial. ZME Science, Jul 23, 2019.
- Icelandic Sheepdog - Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org.
- Icelandic Dog | Complete Guide to the Icelandic Sheepdog. Fun Iceland.
- Icelandic Sheepdog History: From Norse Farms to Beloved Scandinavian Symbol. American Kennel Club.
Written by TimeWalkies EditorialLast updated How we research