Viking secrets revealed: how artifacts found in Ukraine are changing world history (photos)

Pyrophyllite disks found in Ukraine have become the key to understanding medieval navigation. According to scientists, these artifacts helped sailors navigate long before the invention of the magnetic compass.

This archaeological find from Ukraine has aroused admiration among historians and researchers, revealing little-known aspects of navigational technologies of the past. This is reported by Curiosmos.

The artifacts, which date back to the 12th and 13th centuries, are made of pyrophyllite, a soft stone that is easy to carve and was traditionally used to create tools and religious objects in the Middle Ages.

The disks, decorated with intricate patterns in the form of concentric rings and radial lines, indicate that their purpose exceeds that of a simple craft. Found in important medieval settlements such as Kyiv, Listvov, and Lubech, these disks were part of a cultural exchange between local people and Scandinavian traders on the famous Varangian to Greek trade route.

Historians are considering the version that these artifacts could be solar compasses, important tools for Viking navigation. Such compasses usually used a central stick or gnomon that cast a shadow on the disk, allowing sailors to navigate by the position of the sun.

Although no gnomes were found on the Ukrainian disks, the intricate carvings suggest that temporary markers, possibly applied with charcoal or chalk, could have played a similar role.

This theory is confirmed when compared to Viking navigation tools found in Greenland and the Baltic region, which have similar design features to the Ukrainian disks. However, the difference in the size of the central holes indicates possible local variations in the use of these tools. This indicates an active exchange of knowledge between Scandinavian and local communities in the Middle Ages.

Despite this convincing evidence, the exact purpose of the pyrophyllite disks is still unclear. If confirmed, this theory will reveal a complex approach to navigation and deepen our understanding of Viking ingenuity and technological exchange in the Middle Ages.

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