Viking ‘sunstone’ found in shipwreck

A crystal discovered in a shipwreck in the English Channel may have been used as a Viking navigational aid, according to scientists.

The rectangular artefact is thought to be similar to a ‘sunstone’, which it is believed would have been used to locate the direction of the sun in order to traverse the ocean. Although references to such a device are made in Icelandic sagas, other academics remain sceptical about its existence due to a lack of evidence in Viking burial sites.