A new exhibition at Stockholm’s Vrak – Museum of Wrecks challenges the conventional timeline of Viking history by showcasing evidence of armed Scandinavian expeditions before the traditionally accepted start of the Viking Age in 793.

Titled Vikings before the Vikings, the exhibition—originally curated by the Saaremaa Museum in Estonia—highlights the remarkable Salme ship burials found on the island of Saaremaa, where over 40 Scandinavian warriors were laid to rest in two ships. The exhibit, which set visitor records in Estonia, will open in Sweden on April 11, 2025.

“We’re very happy to present this exciting exhibition about the first Vikings at Vrak,” said Odd Johansen, Director at the Museum of Wrecks.

The Salme Ship Burials: Rewriting Viking History

Around 1,300 years ago, a battle near the village of Salme in Estonia left dozens of warriors dead. They were buried with their weapons and equipment in two ships along the seashore, marking the oldest known burial site of a Viking Age war band.

“The exhibition, which broke visitor records in Estonia, is coming to Stockholm so that everyone has the opportunity to get acquainted with this extraordinary find of the century, which has already changed and will certainly change our understanding of the Viking Age,” said Priit Kivi, a board member at Saaremaa Museum.

The Salme discovery provides new insights into the earliest Viking warriors—who they were, the ships they used, the weapons they carried, and how they honored their dead. It also sheds light on early Nordic shipbuilding, as the larger of the two Salme ships is now recognized as the oldest known Nordic sailing vessel.

The Vikings before the Vikings exhibition opens on April 11, 2025 – click here to learn more details.