The Sunstone, a mineral mentioned in several 13th-14th century Icelandic sources, was used to locate the sun in an overcast sky. The inventories of churches and monasteries in 14th-15th century Iceland also mention Sunstones. There is a theory that Sunstones had polarizing attributes and were used by Viking seafarers as navigation instruments.
In the medieval Icelandic source, Rauðúlfs þáttr, the Sunstone is described as a mineral that could locate the sun in a snowy sky by observing where it emitted, reflected, or transmitted light. Thorsteinn Vilhjalmsson’s translation of Rauðúlfs þáttr explains how the Sunstone was used to locate the sun in challenging weather conditions.
Vikings are often portrayed as violent raiders with horned helmets, but in reality, they were explorers, farmers, traders, and colonists with a diverse religion and rich culture. The term "Vikings" specifically refers to seafaring raiders who traveled along the British Isles and European coasts during the Viking Age.
Navigation for the Vikings was based on the position of the sun in the sky rather than Earth’s magnetism, which the modern compass relies on. The optical properties of the Viking Sunstone, which aided navigation in bad weather, may not be a myth. Scientists believe that a crystal discovered in an Elizabethan wreck could have been used as a Sunstone to locate the sun in cloudy conditions.
British and French scientists have suggested that Sunstones helped Norse mariners navigate to places like Iceland and North America before the introduction of the magnetic compass in Europe. While ancient Norse literature mentions a "solar Stein," solid proof of the Sunstone’s existence has been elusive.
Recent discoveries have shown that many ancient stories once dismissed as myth may have a basis in reality. The Sunstone used by Vikings for navigation could be one such example of a real artifact supporting a legendary tale.
For more information on the mythical Sunstone and its role in Viking navigation, visit Anomalien.com.