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From the Viking Age comes a legend.

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Wow, look at this!

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Of a crystal with mysterious powers.

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Look at that. That's amazing.

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But is the magic real?

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I don't know how.

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Yes!

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You ready?

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My name is Josh Gates.

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With a degree in archaeology and a passion for exploration.

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I have a tendency to end up in some very strange situations.

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There has got to be a better way to make a living.

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My travels have taken me to the ends of the earth

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as I investigate the greatest legends in history.

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We're good to try. Let's go.

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This is Expedition Unknown.

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This is Expedition Unknown.

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The Vikings.

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A thousand years after their reign, they still have a terrifying reputation.

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In popular culture, they're portrayed as axe-wielding marauders

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who pillaged their way across Europe.

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But the Vikings were also maritime masters.

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They managed to navigate deadly waters to establish remote colonies across Europe,

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in Greenland, Iceland, and, sorry Columbus, maybe even North America.

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And they did it all hundreds of years before the use of the magnetic compass.

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How? What gave the Vikings such an edge?

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According to ancient sagas, the great Viking king Olaf possessed a sunstone.

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A magical crystal with unique powers, which allowed his people to navigate by the sun,

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even when it was hidden by clouds or below the horizon.

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But were these magic crystals real? No one has ever found one.

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That is, until now.

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Recently, a mysterious crystal was discovered onboard a shipwreck in England,

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and it has ignited a fierce debate that has some scientists believing

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the power of the sunstone might be real after all.

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I've been fascinated by the Vikings since I was just a kid,

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and this new discovery could change the way we think about them forever.

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Did they conquer the seas with a magic crystal?

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I'm excited and determined to find out.

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To find the truth behind the Viking sunstone,

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I'm going to the only place in the world where one of them may have been found,

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the British island of Alderney.

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I've already crossed the Atlantic and made it to England.

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Now, I just need to fly to the island aboard...

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whatever this is.

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What in the holy hell is this thing?

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This, it turns out, is the Britain Norman Trilander,

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which is named for the third engine which is bizarrely attached to the plane's stabilizer fin.

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I've been on some kooky planes before, but this takes the cake.

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On board, the headroom is a little tight for a guy my size,

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but hey, at least it's a short flight.

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In no time at all, we cross the English Channel and touch down on the tiny island.

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Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Alderney.

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Oh man, I hope there's a chiropractor on this island.

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The one benefit of flying on a plane with 18 seats is that the baggage claim is pretty straightforward.

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Okay, well, that was easy.

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So, a bit of geography.

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You go about eight miles that way, you run into France and the beaches of Normandy,

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60 miles that way, south coast of England,

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and out here in the Atlantic, the very tiny island of Alderney.

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It's only about three and a half miles long, has less than 2,000 residents,

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and on face value seems like a weird place to look for a Viking artifact.

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But that's the thing about Alderney, this island is full of surprises.

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There are remains of Roman walls from the 4th century,

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Victorian-era forts built by the British in case the French decided to show up,

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and Nazi forts built by the Germans who did show up.

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In fact, this is the only part of England occupied during World War II.

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Today though, it's just a sleepy little island.

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So why am I here?

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Well, recently, an unusual crystal was discovered in a shipwreck just offshore.

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Archaeologists believe this may be the first Viking Sunstone ever recovered.

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The islanders have been all too happy to capitalize on the find,

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with a Viking-themed mural and even a shop on the main street that sells Sunstone memorabilia.

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Hello.

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Hi, good morning.

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Look at this, the Viking Sunstone, right there.

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That's it.

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You've got it.

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I found it.

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Who knew it would be available here for sale?

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Incredible.

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Now, it's very small.

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Do you think that I could actually use this to find land?

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If it doesn't work, bring it back, and we'll give you your money back.

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Sure, but if it doesn't work, I'm going to be lost at sea,

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so it's going to be very difficult for me to return this.

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Well, I knew that.

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I hope you didn't.

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Okay, they may not be actual Viking Sunstones,

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but that won't stop me from getting a jump on my Christmas shopping.

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I'm literally going to go bankrupt in this one store.

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I've got a little time before my next meeting,

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so I decide to grab a beer at the promiseingly named Divers Pub.

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I'll begin this, please.

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Yes, sir.

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I haven't even started drinking yet,

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but I'm pretty sure that that's a dog at the bar.

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Does he come in a lot?

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Yeah, regular customer likes his ale.

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Good tipper?

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Yeah, good tipper.

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Great.

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After a pint, I start to get a little bit of a drink.

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I stroll over to the Alderney Maritime Museum,

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where I meet with trustee Mike Harrison.

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Amidst the impressive collection are the remains

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of a 16th century English warship

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that was discovered just offshore.

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How many Elizabethan-era warships have been found in British waters?

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None.

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This is the only one.

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So a very significant wreck in its own right,

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but how do we tie it to the Vikings?

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The connection to the Vikings is this extraordinary crystal.

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That was found on the wreck site,

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quite close to a pair of navigational dividers.

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And it wasn't until some time later that people began to wonder

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whether it could possibly have been a Viking Sunstone.

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According to the legend, the Viking King Olaf

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used the Sunstone in dark weather,

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where it revealed the position of the Sun.

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But he had to look through the clear crystal.

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So if this was once a Sunstone,

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it seemed better days.

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Not very clear though anymore.

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No, it's very cloudy.

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It's been worked on by the salts and sea water.

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Do you think there are other artifacts down in the wreck?

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Could there be other crystals down in the wreck, you think?

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There are undoubtedly many other artifacts,

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but the only way to find out is to go on exploring.

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I head down to the harbor to meet with commercial diver Mark Traul.

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Mark has agreed to let me join him on a mission to explore the wreck

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for other Viking artifacts.

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And maybe even a better preserved Sunstone.

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This constitutes kind of a sunny day here, right?

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Yeah, it's boiling today.

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We're in our t-shirts and thongs before you know it.

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Along with the cold, this dive is extremely dangerous for another reason.

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The tides here run at nearly 15 knots,

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and fierce currents rip over the wreck for most of the day.

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We've got only two slacks a day.

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You mean you only have a short window in terms of the tides?

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Yeah, absolutely.

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The only times the dive here are during the slack tides.

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The brief windows between tidal changes where the water is relatively still.

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How big is that window?

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We've got 30 minutes.

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30 minutes? Wow, so pretty tight window.

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After arriving at the dive boat, we suit up as quickly as possible.

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We can't afford to miss the dive window,

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and we won't have much time to explore the bottom.

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Okay, let's go diving.

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We're going to the bottom.

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Our mission is to attempt to relocate the wreck

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and look for a less clouded crystal.

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After all, without a clear sunstone to examine,

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we'll never know if the legend is true.

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No sign of the bottom yet.

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It just drops off into darkness.

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With almost no visibility, we need to stay close to the dive line and each other.

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An experienced diver died on this wreck just last year.

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I can see the bottom coming up.

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Both teams, we are at the bottom.

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Just keep your eyes open and stay together, please.

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By the time we reach the bottom,

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there are only 15 minutes left before the tides begin to turn.

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We've got no time to lose.

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Apparently, few of us are very sandy bottom.

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A few bits of rock popping up here and there.

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At the moment, I can hardly see anything, really.

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Then, out of the darkness, I see something incredible.

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The actual remains of an English cannon from a 16th century warship.

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Absolutely beautiful.

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You can see it.

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I mean, it's just clear as bad.

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You're just sitting on the bottom.

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Come over here, Josh. I think I found another timber.

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Down here at the bottom.

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It's over 100 years.

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Looks like it was dropped down here yesterday.

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The shifting sands may reveal never-before-seen sections of the wreck,

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and we quickly advance to the area where the crystal was recently found.

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We've got about 10 minutes left, Josh. Let's start making our way back.

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We've had little time to explore, and it's already time to ascend.

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Follow me.

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Oh, f***!

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Look at that!

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Look at that f***ing incredible!

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I'm deep beneath the surface of the English Channel,

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exploring the sunken wreck of a 16th century warship.

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A crystal that some believe was a mystical Viking sunstone was discovered here,

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but it's damaged.

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I'm looking for another one.

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Unfortunately, the tides are shifting, and time is running out.

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Okay, Josh, we've got about five minutes left.

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We need to get out. That tide starts moving.

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Otherwise, we're going to get washed away.

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Come on, be back. Follow me.

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Go!

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I see something f***ing f***ing f***ing!

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Look at that!

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We've got something down here.

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I see something sticking out of the sand

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and examine it in the hopes that it might be a clue.

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There's something blue here.

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Maybe a piece of metal.

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Could be a sweat bleed, or something off the hip.

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No sign of any other crystal down here, Mark.

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The debris appears to be iron from the wreckage,

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which, while historically important, isn't the crystal I'm looking for.

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We've got very little time left.

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I'd like to stay longer, but we need to ascend now

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before the tidal current shifts.

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Just as the current begins to pick up,

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we break the surface and arrive safely back at the stern of the boat.

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Absolutely amazing to see a wreck down there, not old.

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Still see timbers from the deck of the boat.

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Absolutely incredible.

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No Viking sunstones, but that's okay.

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Pretty amazing in and of itself.

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The hunt continues.

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There may be one other sunstone in the world,

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the original one mentioned in the legend.

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To find it, I'll need to travel to the Viking homeland.

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I jet from the English Isle of Alderny to Trondheim, Norway,

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the former capital of the Viking world.

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Founded in the year 997 as a trading outpost,

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Trondheim rose to become the seat of the great Viking kings.

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But now, a millennium later, it's pretty darn serene around here.

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University students, cobblestone streets, stunning coastal waterways.

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It's positively, well, perfect.

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I haven't eaten since I was in England,

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so I pop into a local café for my first taste of Norwegian cuisine.

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Hello.

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How are you?

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I'm fine, thanks.

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Look at this.

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This looks amazing.

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This is a lot of different herrings.

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So this is this is herring?

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Yes.

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And this is herring?

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Yes.

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It's all herring?

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Yes, it is.

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It's all herring.

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Great.

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Okay, good.

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Okay, let's try herring and purry.

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Fishy.

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This is herring with blueberries here.

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That is herring pickles.

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This here is a herring salad.

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Along with the herring is a plate of rakfisk,

255
00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:23,000
a local delicacy consisting of fish that's been buried in the ground

256
00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:25,000
to ferment for a few months.

257
00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:27,000
This is this is this is this is rotten fish.

258
00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:28,000
Got it.

259
00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:30,000
Okay, here we go.

260
00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:35,000
Yeah.

261
00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:37,000
What?

262
00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:40,000
Oh yeah, that's a piece of rotten fish right there.

263
00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:44,000
That is a piece of rotten old old dead fish.

264
00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:47,000
That's not going to taste like something that really should be in my mouth.

265
00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:48,000
I'm being honest.

266
00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:52,000
Okay, that's it.

267
00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:55,000
I'm ready for dessert, which I assume is herring.

268
00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:59,000
Having had my fill of rotted fish, it's time to get back on the case.

269
00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:02,000
Since I struck out finding a clear sunstone in England,

270
00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:05,000
perhaps I can get my hands on the original,

271
00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:09,000
which according to legend was in the hands of the Viking King Olaf.

272
00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:15,000
Olaf united much of Norway in the 11th century through a series of daring battles,

273
00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:20,000
using the mystical sunstone to guide his forces in dark or stormy weather.

274
00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:23,000
Olaf is also famous for having brought Christianity to Norway,

275
00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:27,000
and it's alive and well at the Soaring Nidros Cathedral.

276
00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:30,000
This is the northernmost medieval church in the world.

277
00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:33,000
Construction began over a thousand years ago,

278
00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:35,000
and it hasn't stopped since.

279
00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:39,000
Olaf is believed to be buried somewhere under the massive cathedral,

280
00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:41,000
possibly with his sacred sunstone.

281
00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:43,000
Hello.

282
00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:45,000
Hello, so nice to meet you.

283
00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:47,000
I'm meeting with church official Ingrid Vindanest

284
00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:50,000
to learn more about St. Olaf's final resting place.

285
00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:52,000
Where exactly is he buried?

286
00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,000
Actually, we don't know today. It's still a mystery.

287
00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:57,000
Somewhere in the building, we know that for a fact.

288
00:14:57,000 --> 00:14:58,000
Okay, so we're close.

289
00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,000
We are close, but we can't find him,

290
00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,000
because there's so many graves under the floor here.

291
00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:05,000
But we have some theories where he could be buried.

292
00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:07,000
Would it be possible to see the place that you think he's buried?

293
00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:08,000
Of course.

294
00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:09,000
Let me show you.

295
00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:10,000
Let's go.

296
00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:13,000
As impressive as the cathedral is above ground,

297
00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:16,000
there's a whole other world beneath my feet.

298
00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,000
All right, lead on.

299
00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:20,000
Spooky.

300
00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:31,000
Here, in the seemingly endless catacombs,

301
00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:34,000
there are thousands of burials spanning a millennia.

302
00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:36,000
It's like a maze down here.

303
00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:41,000
It's like a lab, but you have little tunnels in every direction.

304
00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:46,000
There's no telling what might be lurking in these tunnels.

305
00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:49,000
And just around the next corner, I get a terrifying surprise.

306
00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:51,000
Look at this.

307
00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:52,000
Wow.

308
00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:01,000
My quest to find out the truth about the legendary Viking Sunstone

309
00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:05,000
leads to deep catacombs beneath a cathedral in Norway.

310
00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:08,000
The Viking King Saint Olaf may have been buried down here

311
00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:10,000
with this magic crystal.

312
00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:14,000
But before we can reach his tomb, we run into something else.

313
00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:16,000
Wow, look at this.

314
00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:17,000
Amazing.

315
00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:20,000
I wasn't actually expecting to see skeletons down here.

316
00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:24,000
No, we did need it, actually, but we found this just a couple of years ago.

317
00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:26,000
But we're certain that this isn't Olaf.

318
00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:30,000
Very certain it isn't Olaf, because we have the skeleton of Saint Olaf's half-brother,

319
00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:33,000
so we have compared some DNA, just to be sure.

320
00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:37,000
We think he was a warrior, and he was buried by the entrance of the Getiro,

321
00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:39,000
which meant that he was very important.

322
00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:41,000
He's in remarkable shape.

323
00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:42,000
Except his head.

324
00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:43,000
But look at his teeth.

325
00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:44,000
Yes.

326
00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:46,000
This guy has better teeth than I do.

327
00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:47,000
Really?

328
00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:50,000
Somewhere there is lost to history an amazing Viking orthodontist.

329
00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:52,000
Oh, many of them, perhaps.

330
00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:53,000
Yeah, maybe many.

331
00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:56,000
Okay, so how far from here to where we think Olaf is?

332
00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:58,000
We have to go a bit further inside the tunnels.

333
00:16:58,000 --> 00:16:59,000
Of course we do.

334
00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:00,000
Of course we do.

335
00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:01,000
All right, lead on.

336
00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:02,000
No, no, no, please.

337
00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:05,000
A pitch black crypt full of skeletons was to be scared of.

338
00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:07,000
Please, you go first, though.

339
00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,000
In the farthest corner of the catacombs,

340
00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:18,000
we finally arrive at the resting place of the Viking king.

341
00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:20,000
So this is it.

342
00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:22,000
Amazing.

343
00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:26,000
So this may be the tomb of Saint Olaf.

344
00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:27,000
Yes.

345
00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:31,000
But there are thousands of skeletons entombed down here,

346
00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:35,000
and since the church isn't certain exactly where Olaf is buried,

347
00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:38,000
they've decided not to disturb any of the graves.

348
00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:42,000
To know that we may be only inches away from the famed Viking king

349
00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:45,000
is both exhilarating and frustrating.

350
00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:50,000
All right, well, if this is the grave of Olaf, then Olaf,

351
00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:52,000
great to meet you.

352
00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:53,000
We're off.

353
00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:55,000
Unable to open Olaf's grave,

354
00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:58,000
I may be out of luck finding an ancient working sunstone,

355
00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:02,000
but new evidence suggests I might be able to make one.

356
00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:07,000
To continue my investigation,

357
00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:11,000
I'm making the 400-mile drive to the modern capital of Oslo.

358
00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:16,000
This used to be known as the King's Road.

359
00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:19,000
For hundreds of years, people traveled this route

360
00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:22,000
to visit King Olaf's final resting place.

361
00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:27,000
All right, welcome to Oslo.

362
00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:34,000
Situated along the stunning Oslo fjord,

363
00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:38,000
this place is a seemingly impossible fusion of pristine nature

364
00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:42,000
that somehow coexists alongside a cosmopolitan city.

365
00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:48,000
Here's your quick starter kit for Norway.

366
00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:50,000
You're thinking about moving here. Here's what you need to know.

367
00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:51,000
It's beautiful.

368
00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:52,000
It's rustic.

369
00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,000
It is incredibly clean and safe,

370
00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:58,000
and also it is unbelievably expensive.

371
00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:00,000
Gas here is about $9 a gallon.

372
00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:04,000
I pay about 50% taxes and have a 25% sales tax,

373
00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:08,000
but you get free health care, you get free education,

374
00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,000
free daycare, good pensions,

375
00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:13,000
and as much reindeer meat as you can eat.

376
00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:17,000
What's that?

377
00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:18,000
This is reindeer sausage.

378
00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:19,000
Reindeer sausage?

379
00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:20,000
Yes.

380
00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:22,000
It's very, very nice.

381
00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:24,000
Reindeer sausage?

382
00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:25,000
Wow.

383
00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:26,000
100%.

384
00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:31,000
There's a whole last verse to that Rudolph song

385
00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:34,000
that I never knew about.

386
00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:37,000
He's delicious.

387
00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:39,000
Oslo may be hip and chic,

388
00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:42,000
but its Viking seafarer heritage is everywhere.

389
00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,000
This is the gateway to the North Sea,

390
00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:47,000
where Norwegian drilling rigs reign supreme.

391
00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:49,000
Oslo is also home to the Fran,

392
00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:51,000
the vessel that brought Norwegian explorer,

393
00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:55,000
Rald Almondsen, on his historic journey to the South Pole,

394
00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:58,000
as well as Kanteke, the raft that carried adventurer

395
00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:00,000
and my fellow explorers club member,

396
00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:04,000
Thor Heierendall, on his voyage across the Pacific Ocean.

397
00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:06,000
At the nearby Viking Ship Museum,

398
00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:09,000
it's clear where Norwegians got their nautical skills.

399
00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:11,000
This is the Osseberg ship.

400
00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:16,000
Built in 820 AD, it is the oldest intact Viking vessel ever found,

401
00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:18,000
and it is a thing of pure awesomeness.

402
00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:21,000
I mean, just look at this thing.

403
00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:24,000
The craftsmanship is nothing short of astounding

404
00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,000
and clearly built to last.

405
00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:29,000
I'm here to meet with archaeologist Jan Bill

406
00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:33,000
to hear about a new theory that may prove that the Sun Stone was real.

407
00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,000
It's really hundreds of years after the Viking Age

408
00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:39,000
when the magnetic compass becomes widely used.

409
00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:41,000
Do you think that the legend of the Sun Stone is real?

410
00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:44,000
Well, I think that it's much more than a legend.

411
00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:49,000
The practical value of that out on sea would be terrific.

412
00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:53,000
Jan tells me that analysis of the crystal found in the Alderney Shipwreck

413
00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:56,000
has shown that it is a rare form of calcite,

414
00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,000
a crystal that refracts light in a very unique way.

415
00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:03,000
Some experts are now arguing that the Sun Stone's legendary magic

416
00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:07,000
may be based in science, but it's never been proven in the field.

417
00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:11,000
I don't think that it has actually been employed today for navigation.

418
00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:13,000
I'd like to test the theory myself,

419
00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:15,000
but since I don't have an ancient Sun Stone,

420
00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:18,000
I'll need something else, a brand new one.

421
00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,000
But it won't be easy.

422
00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:24,000
I'm going to need a very large and very pure piece of calcite.

423
00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:28,000
To find it, Jan directs me to an old mine outside of Oslo,

424
00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:30,000
near the city of Kongsberg.

425
00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:32,000
The mine has long been out of operation,

426
00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:35,000
but it is still rich in mineral deposits.

427
00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:38,000
After driving along lonely Norwegian back roads

428
00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:41,000
until well after sunset, I finally arrive.

429
00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:43,000
I'm meeting with Christian Berg,

430
00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:47,000
who, based on his get up, knows something about mining.

431
00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:48,000
Hello, are you Christian?

432
00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:49,000
Yeah.

433
00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:50,000
Hey, I'm Josh.

434
00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:51,000
Yeah.

435
00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:52,000
Nice to meet you.

436
00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:53,000
Nice to meet you too.

437
00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,000
So I was told that you are a man in the know when it comes to calcite.

438
00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:56,000
Yeah, I can find some.

439
00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:57,000
You can?

440
00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:58,000
Yeah.

441
00:21:58,000 --> 00:21:59,000
Okay, you ready?

442
00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:00,000
Yeah.

443
00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:01,000
Okay, let's do it.

444
00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:06,000
How old is the mine?

445
00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:09,000
It's about 16, 23.

446
00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:11,000
That's ridiculous.

447
00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:12,000
Yeah.

448
00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:15,000
An average of 20 miners died every year of its construction,

449
00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,000
and it contains more than 37 miles of tunnels,

450
00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:22,000
something I'm trying not to think about as we head deeper under the mountain.

451
00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:25,000
Until at last, we reach the end of the line.

452
00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:28,000
Coming up.

453
00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,000
Give us three more Viking Indian soldiers.

454
00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:34,000
Yes!

455
00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:41,000
I'm hundreds of feet down in a centuries-old mine in Norway,

456
00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:44,000
looking for a clear sample of calcite crystal

457
00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:47,000
to prove that the Viking Sunstone really works.

458
00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,000
The tracks come to a dead end,

459
00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:51,000
but we've got farther to go.

460
00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:55,000
And now we're on foot.

461
00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:56,000
Yeah.

462
00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:00,000
My guide and mining expert, Christian,

463
00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:03,000
is taking me to normally off-limits in the mountains

464
00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:05,000
to look for calcite deposits.

465
00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:09,000
Just as I'm trying to figure out how long it will take to descend on foot,

466
00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:12,000
we come across something I have never seen before.

467
00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:15,000
What is this thing?

468
00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:18,000
This is an elevator from 8081.

469
00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:19,000
That's an elevator?

470
00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:20,000
Yeah.

471
00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:22,000
And when did it stop working?

472
00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:24,000
It's still running.

473
00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:25,000
This works?

474
00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:26,000
Yeah.

475
00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:30,000
Shut up.

476
00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:32,000
Shut up.

477
00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:33,000
Okay?

478
00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:34,000
I don't really get how it works.

479
00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:36,000
Where's the elevator section?

480
00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:37,000
This is the elevator.

481
00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:39,000
You have to stand on the platform?

482
00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:40,000
Stand on the platform?

483
00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:41,000
Yeah.

484
00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:42,000
Oh, wait.

485
00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:43,000
Yeah.

486
00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:44,000
You hold on here, and the platform goes down.

487
00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:45,000
Yeah.

488
00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:46,000
And you switch.

489
00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:48,000
And then you switch to the next platform,

490
00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:49,000
and then that goes down?

491
00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:50,000
Yeah.

492
00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:51,000
I see.

493
00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:52,000
No.

494
00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:53,000
You're a little confused.

495
00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:54,000
This is not an elevator.

496
00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:55,000
This is a video game.

497
00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:56,000
Okay.

498
00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:57,000
And how far down does it go?

499
00:23:57,000 --> 00:23:58,000
900 feet?

500
00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:01,000
What happens if you slip, you fall 900 feet?

501
00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:02,000
You don't do that.

502
00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:03,000
You don't do that.

503
00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:04,000
Great.

504
00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:07,000
Now.

505
00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:09,000
See you at the bottom.

506
00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:10,000
Yeah.

507
00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:11,000
Have a nice ride.

508
00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:12,000
And we're off.

509
00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:14,000
Cue the elevator music.

510
00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:18,000
This is insane.

511
00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:20,000
Transferring?

512
00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:25,000
After a very focused ride deeper into the mine,

513
00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:28,000
Christian and I finally get off on our floor.

514
00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:32,000
That's amazing.

515
00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:37,000
We hike on into the darkness,

516
00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:39,000
and before long, we come to our next hurdle.

517
00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:42,000
Whoa.

518
00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:43,000
Okay.

519
00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:44,000
Now we have to climb.

520
00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:45,000
Come on.

521
00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:46,000
You don't have like another kooky elevator?

522
00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:47,000
No.

523
00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:52,000
Norwegians are officially the most nonchalant people I have ever met.

524
00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:55,000
But their laid back reaction to what looks like certain death

525
00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:57,000
is somewhat confidence inspiring.

526
00:24:58,000 --> 00:24:59,000
Okay.

527
00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,000
Christian breaks out his climbing gear,

528
00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:03,000
and we suit up for a descent to the next level.

529
00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:05,000
Here we go.

530
00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:06,000
Yeah.

531
00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:07,000
Good.

532
00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:08,000
Boy, you really just got to jump right off this thing, don't you?

533
00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:09,000
Yeah.

534
00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:11,000
Okay.

535
00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:13,000
That's a little freaky.

536
00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:19,000
It's about to be.

537
00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:21,000
It's got to be an easier way.

538
00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:24,000
Can I just go to like a gym shop or something?

539
00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:26,000
As I step into the darkness,

540
00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:29,000
I realize I haven't a clue how far down the drop is

541
00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,000
or how stable the walls are.

542
00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:34,000
Passing by these old timbers.

543
00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:37,000
They don't look particularly secure.

544
00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:40,000
Okay.

545
00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:44,000
Tucking under a second old support beam here.

546
00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:47,000
Tight squeeze.

547
00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,000
I can see the bottom.

548
00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:52,000
Yeah.

549
00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:55,000
Okay.

550
00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:56,000
I'm down.

551
00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:57,000
Was it okay?

552
00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:58,000
Uh, yeah, was it okay?

553
00:25:58,000 --> 00:25:59,000
It was great.

554
00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:02,000
I think I peed my pants a little, but it was okay.

555
00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:05,000
That was, uh, a long way down.

556
00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:07,000
Okay.

557
00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:10,000
You came down that a little faster than I did.

558
00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:11,000
Yeah.

559
00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:12,000
Okay.

560
00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:13,000
Lead on. Let's go.

561
00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:17,000
We are now over a thousand feet below the earth's surface.

562
00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:19,000
There is no light here of any kind.

563
00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:22,000
And we're exploring passages that were carved hundreds of years ago.

564
00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:28,000
The silence and cold are eerie.

565
00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:32,000
I'm lost in my thoughts when suddenly Christian spots something.

566
00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:34,000
Hey Josh, what do you have to see this?

567
00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:38,000
It's a big wave.

568
00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:39,000
It's a big wave.

569
00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:40,000
It's a big wave.

570
00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:41,000
It's a big wave.

571
00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:42,000
It's a big wave.

572
00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:43,000
Calcite.

573
00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:44,000
Oh, there's lots of calcite.

574
00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:45,000
Look at that.

575
00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:46,000
Big one.

576
00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:48,000
Big crystals right there.

577
00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:49,000
See that?

578
00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:54,000
Not all calcite is clear, but there are samples here that look absolutely perfect.

579
00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:57,000
Okay Christian, we need a good clear piece.

580
00:26:57,000 --> 00:26:59,000
Okay, let's start chipping.

581
00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:06,000
How do you know when you're chipping away at rock that the whole thing's not going to fall down on you?

582
00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:09,000
Pure luck.

583
00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:11,000
I don't think that's true.

584
00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:12,000
I hope that's not true.

585
00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:16,000
Oh, that's a good piece.

586
00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:17,000
See that?

587
00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:18,000
That's perfect.

588
00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:19,000
That's exactly what we need.

589
00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:21,000
Let's see if we can get that out of there without splitting it.

590
00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:23,000
Good.

591
00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:26,000
If we just get behind it, we can try to crack it off on the back.

592
00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:31,000
Oh, there we go.

593
00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:32,000
Got it.

594
00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:33,000
Look at that.

595
00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:34,000
We got it.

596
00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:36,000
Look at that.

597
00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:39,000
That could be a Viking Sunstone right there.

598
00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:40,000
Christian, nice work.

599
00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:46,000
Now, we just have to casually make our way back out of the mine so I can figure out how I'm going to test it.

600
00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:59,000
Back above ground, I make the trip back to Oslo to meet with Dr. Balash Bernof, an expert in light polarization that has been studying the Sunstone.

601
00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:02,000
He believes the Sunstone might actually work.

602
00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:06,000
What is it about this particular crystal that makes it so special?

603
00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:10,000
It creates two images of a single ray.

604
00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:20,000
In theory, the Vikings could have prepared the stone by adding an arrow pointing along the width of the crystal, and then partially covering the rest of it to create a wide slit.

605
00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:25,000
But because calcite splits light, you'd see two slits on the other side.

606
00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:28,000
And so how does that in theory help you navigate?

607
00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:34,000
One of the pictures will be fainter, the other will be stronger.

608
00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:45,000
If you orientate your crystal in a way that you see them to be equal, then you have a reference from which you can say the Sun is that way.

609
00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:47,000
It's a startlingly simple idea.

610
00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:51,000
Find the angle where the two double images look the same, and bingo!

611
00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:55,000
Your arrow is pointing to the hidden Sun, even if it's below the horizon.

612
00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:59,000
However, you'd need more information than that to truly navigate.

613
00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:08,000
The Sunstone potentially could show you the location of the Sun, but it can't really show you north, south, east and west, right?

614
00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:21,000
Yes. If you have a proper working Sunstone, then you will need a twilight board, which is a kind of sun compass, and a shadow stick, which can work instead of the shadow, which you will not see.

615
00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:27,000
A twilight board is a sort of sundial, but instead of the Sun's shadow showing time, it shows direction.

616
00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:31,000
When the Sun is hidden, a so-called shadow stick is used instead.

617
00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:39,000
Based on the location of the Sun as determined by the Sunstone, the shadow stick can then be used to calculate direction.

618
00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:44,000
Have any twilight boards or sun compasses or shadow sticks ever been found?

619
00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:50,000
There is one artifact which was found about 60 years ago in Greenland.

620
00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:57,000
The reconstructions tell us that it might have been a twilight board.

621
00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:04,000
This artifact may be a clue, a device that worked with the Sunstone, but can it be proven?

622
00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:11,000
Has anybody taken a piece of calcite and tried to construct these items and tested them out on the open seas to see if they can be used to navigate?

623
00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:15,000
I have never heard that anybody has actually tested it on the sea.

624
00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:22,000
Incredibly, we could be the first to test this on the water and prove that we can actually use the crystal to navigate.

625
00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:26,000
This is the break I've been searching for, but how do I get a twilight board?

626
00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:33,000
If we're going to do the Sunstone experiment, not only do I need a stone, it looks like I need these other components, this twilight board and the shadow stick.

627
00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:38,000
So for that, I'm going to need to find some Viking craftsmen, I guess?

628
00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:40,000
I know just the place.

629
00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:49,000
Jan Biel at the Viking Museum in Oslo told me about an amazing woodworker named Gaida.

630
00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:54,000
I'm told that he's also a student of the ancient Viking way of life.

631
00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:58,000
I'm not sure exactly what that means, but I can't wait to find out.

632
00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:12,000
And I'm in Game of Thrones.

633
00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:23,000
My quest to discover the truth about the Viking Sunstone myth has brought me to Oslo, Norway.

634
00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:32,000
I'm looking for a craftsman named Gaida to help me build a Viking twilight board and test whether the Sunstone can really be used to navigate in the open seas.

635
00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:34,000
I'm told I'll find him here.

636
00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:42,000
And I'm in Game of Thrones.

637
00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:48,000
This is Norway.

638
00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:49,000
Oh boy.

639
00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:58,000
As it existed a thousand years ago, here in the midst of modern Europe, this community of people are preserving the Viking way of life.

640
00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:00,000
The weapons are real.

641
00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:03,000
The construction of the hall historically perfect.

642
00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:06,000
And dinner is bloody and sizzling.

643
00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:09,000
Even the children are living the part.

644
00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:14,000
At the center of it all is this extremely intimidating man, Gaida.

645
00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:16,000
You got it, friendly.

646
00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:20,000
Since I stick out like a sore thumb, it isn't long before I have to explain myself.

647
00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:21,000
Hello.

648
00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:22,000
Hello.

649
00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:25,000
Are you a friend or enemy?

650
00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:27,000
Oh, a friend, an unarmed friend.

651
00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:28,000
Hello.

652
00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:29,000
Very nice to meet you.

653
00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:30,000
Welcome.

654
00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:31,000
Thank you very much.

655
00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:33,000
You look incredible.

656
00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:35,000
In England they described the Vikings.

657
00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:38,000
They were tall, they were bearded, they have long hair.

658
00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:39,000
Yes.

659
00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:41,000
They were terror from the north.

660
00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:44,000
Yes, sir, you're just describing yourself right now.

661
00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:45,000
Okay.

662
00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:46,000
How about that?

663
00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:52,000
So to help me unravel the mystery of the Sunstone, I wanted to come to a real Viking as close to a Viking as I could get.

664
00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:53,000
Do you believe in it?

665
00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:55,000
Do you think it was really used by the Vikings?

666
00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:59,000
Since they have described it in our saga, I think they use it.

667
00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:01,000
So what's your advice?

668
00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:03,000
What do you need to do to understand this Sunstone?

669
00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:06,000
I think you must be more Viking in your soul.

670
00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:07,000
I have to become a Viking.

671
00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:08,000
Come on.

672
00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:09,000
Oh, okay.

673
00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:10,000
I feel a little bit out of place here.

674
00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:11,000
Yes.

675
00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:16,000
But maybe I can offer you some better clothes.

676
00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:23,000
I guess if I'm going to ask Gaiora to make me a twilight board, I can't exactly turn down his request to give me a makeover.

677
00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:25,000
Also, he's sort of terrifying.

678
00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:28,000
So let's try this entrance one more time.

679
00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:35,000
I feel ridiculous, but I'm hoping the locals approve.

680
00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:39,000
Otherwise, I sense they're going to throw me in the fire.

681
00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:43,000
Here, you truly proud.

682
00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:47,000
Yes!

683
00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:49,000
I'm in?

684
00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:50,000
You are in?

685
00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:51,000
Yes!

686
00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:52,000
Yes!

687
00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:53,000
Welcome.

688
00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:54,000
Thank you very much.

689
00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:56,000
And now, here we have the horn.

690
00:33:56,000 --> 00:34:00,000
And they say give horn or skull.

691
00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:01,000
Skull!

692
00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:02,000
Skull!

693
00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:08,000
Oh!

694
00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:10,000
Do you think it tastes good?

695
00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:11,000
I don't know.

696
00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:12,000
Yes.

697
00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:13,000
It tastes sort of good.

698
00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:15,000
Yes, it tastes sort of good.

699
00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:16,000
Now what happens?

700
00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:17,000
We go outside.

701
00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:24,000
Outside the hall, life carries on much as it did in the Viking Age.

702
00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:29,000
And before I can get down to business, I'm being invited to learn how to handle myself in battle.

703
00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:31,000
Okay, so this is Viking Archery 101.

704
00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:32,000
Yes.

705
00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:33,000
You are my teacher?

706
00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:34,000
Yes.

707
00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:35,000
What is your name?

708
00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:36,000
Erika.

709
00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:37,000
Erika.

710
00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:38,000
Yeah.

711
00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:39,000
Alright, here we go.

712
00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:40,000
What do I do?

713
00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:41,000
Yes, you put your, on this side.

714
00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:42,000
Yes.

715
00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:43,000
Left side.

716
00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:44,000
Yes.

717
00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:45,000
And you raise your bow like this.

718
00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:46,000
Elbow like this?

719
00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:47,000
Alright.

720
00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:52,000
Come on.

721
00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:54,000
Alright, that was very intimidating.

722
00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:56,000
And a little bit sexy.

723
00:34:56,000 --> 00:34:57,000
Here we go.

724
00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:02,000
Very good.

725
00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:03,000
I'm on the board.

726
00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:04,000
Very good.

727
00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:05,000
I'm on the board.

728
00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:06,000
Is it the size of the bow?

729
00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:08,000
Now it's the lower limb.

730
00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:11,000
It's a little stiffer than the upper.

731
00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:13,000
So it's not the size of the bow, it's the stiffness.

732
00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:16,000
Okay.

733
00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:23,000
Good.

734
00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:24,000
Better?

735
00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:36,000
With playtime over, it's time to see if Gaeta can help me with my mission.

736
00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:42,000
To recreate an authentic Viking Twilight board and shadow stick from Dr. Balash's diagrams.

737
00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:45,000
You are obviously skilled with woodworking, yes?

738
00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:46,000
Yes.

739
00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:47,000
Is fully possible?

740
00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:48,000
Yes.

741
00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:51,000
And I will make it of the best wood I have.

742
00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:56,000
Gaeta gets to work and quickly proves that Vikings aren't just lethal.

743
00:35:56,000 --> 00:35:58,000
They're really talented.

744
00:35:58,000 --> 00:35:59,000
Let me see.

745
00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:02,000
How about that?

746
00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:09,000
Less than an hour later, he's brought the diagrams to life.

747
00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:10,000
It's really good.

748
00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:12,000
I mean, it's a perfect match.

749
00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:17,000
We will take your craftsmanship and the Sun Stone and we'll see if we can make it work.

750
00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:21,000
Gaeta may have just created the missing piece of the Sun Stone puzzle.

751
00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:24,000
Now all that's left to do is test it out.

752
00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:29,000
And lucky for me, his woodworking skills involve Viking designs that are bigger than a wooden compass.

753
00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:31,000
When you said you had a boat, I didn't picture this.

754
00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:32,000
This.

755
00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:33,000
This I bought.

756
00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:43,000
This is a perfect replica of the Asseberg ship that I saw in the Viking Museum.

757
00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:51,000
It is a masterpiece of historical construction and the perfect vessel to test out whether the Sun Stone can be used to navigate.

758
00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:52,000
How are you?

759
00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:53,000
Hello, Josh.

760
00:36:53,000 --> 00:36:54,000
Nice to see you.

761
00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:55,000
Yes, good to see you again.

762
00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:56,000
Are you sure you want to go out?

763
00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:57,000
Yes, I'm sure.

764
00:36:57,000 --> 00:37:01,000
If there was ever a day when we needed a Sun Stone to work, this is it.

765
00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:04,000
We are a big challenge if you look at the weather.

766
00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:05,000
Well, we will do our best.

767
00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:06,000
A huge challenge is why we're here.

768
00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:07,000
Are you ready?

769
00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:08,000
I'm ready.

770
00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:10,000
Let's hit the high seas.

771
00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:19,000
Once we board the vessel, we cast off from the dock and begin to raise the sail, which on an ancient boat turns out to be something of a team effort.

772
00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:20,000
Ah!

773
00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:22,000
Oh!

774
00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:23,000
Oink!

775
00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:24,000
Oink!

776
00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:25,000
Oink!

777
00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:28,000
With the sail unfurled, we're underway.

778
00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:30,000
The weather is bad.

779
00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:35,000
The boat is a design that predates the horse and plow, but this is the moment.

780
00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:41,000
Will the Sun Stone reveal its mystical qualities, or are we about to be lost at sea?

781
00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:43,000
We're going!

782
00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:54,000
I'm off the coast of Norway on an authentic Viking vessel, wearing authentic Viking clothes,

783
00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:58,000
hanging out with a bunch of dudes that I'm pretty sure are actual Vikings.

784
00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:00,000
This is the moment we've been waiting for.

785
00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:06,000
The weather is bad and getting worse, and navigating here without a compass seems an impossible challenge.

786
00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:09,000
Alright, here is the Sun Stone.

787
00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:11,000
So let's talk about what's been done to the stone here.

788
00:38:11,000 --> 00:38:13,000
You have two slits now.

789
00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:19,000
You have to look through this slit, and you will see two images.

790
00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:20,000
I do.

791
00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:23,000
When I look through this, I see a double image of the slit on the backside.

792
00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:33,000
If you find the position where the two just seem equal, then your arrow will show you which way the Sun is.

793
00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:35,000
Let's hope it will work.

794
00:38:35,000 --> 00:38:39,000
By holding up the crystal in the haze, the double image of the slit appears.

795
00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:41,000
One side darker, one lighter.

796
00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:44,000
But by rotating the crystal, they should match.

797
00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:47,000
When they do, the arrow should point to the Sun.

798
00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:51,000
You ready?

799
00:38:51,000 --> 00:38:53,000
I'm really excited.

800
00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:55,000
Sun Stone, here we come.

801
00:38:58,000 --> 00:39:04,000
I scan the sky in an attempt to find the spot where the two images on the far side of the crystal appear the same.

802
00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:09,000
The differences are subtle, and I'm not having an easy time making it work.

803
00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:11,000
But then, I find it.

804
00:39:11,000 --> 00:39:12,000
There.

805
00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:16,000
Okay, remember the way, which way the arrow is showing this?

806
00:39:16,000 --> 00:39:20,000
The arrow is pointing this way, so this is telling me if this is working, that the Sun is somewhere this way.

807
00:39:20,000 --> 00:39:23,000
It's okay, just look for another point and do the same.

808
00:39:25,000 --> 00:39:33,000
The idea is to do the experiment twice, using the intersection of the two arrow lines to find the exact position of the Sun.

809
00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:36,000
I'm trying to not drop the Sun Stone in the sea.

810
00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:40,000
There, right there, right there. That's equal.

811
00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:43,000
Now try to estimate the intersection.

812
00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:47,000
Okay, the first estimation was pointing this way, the second estimation was pointing this way.

813
00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:52,000
Okay, so just follow those lines and try to say where the Sun is.

814
00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:54,000
The Sun should be here.

815
00:39:55,000 --> 00:40:00,000
With the Sun possibly located, we break out the twilight board and shadow stick to take a measurement.

816
00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:04,000
I don't really know how to use it, so now I really need your help.

817
00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:10,000
Okay, you think the Sun should be there, so you basically aim that point at the position of the Sun.

818
00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:11,000
Got it.

819
00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:12,000
You have measured with the Sun Stone.

820
00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:15,000
And then the compass underneath should become accurate.

821
00:40:15,000 --> 00:40:16,000
Yes, that's the idea.

822
00:40:16,000 --> 00:40:19,000
So in order to test that, we need a real compass.

823
00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:20,000
Yes.

824
00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:21,000
You have a real compass?

825
00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:22,000
Uh, yeah.

826
00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:25,000
Let's see how we did here. What do you think?

827
00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:26,000
I think it will work.

828
00:40:26,000 --> 00:40:27,000
Yeah.

829
00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:29,000
Because, um...

830
00:40:29,000 --> 00:40:31,000
Because you made it.

831
00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:32,000
Yes, of course.

832
00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:38,000
Balash takes a bearing with his magnetic compass, something not in use in the Viking Age.

833
00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:43,000
The test now is to see how well my compass, which is nothing more than a crystal and a piece of wood, compares.

834
00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:44,000
Here, let's line it up.

835
00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:48,000
It works!

836
00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:53,000
That is unbelievable. The bearings are nearly identical.

837
00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:58,000
This is the first successful test on the water that proves the Sun Stone is real.

838
00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:00,000
That's almost a perfect match.

839
00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:02,000
Well, I'm amazed.

840
00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:04,000
North, north. It lines up almost exactly.

841
00:41:04,000 --> 00:41:05,000
It's a bicycle.

842
00:41:07,000 --> 00:41:12,000
This is a device that potentially could have been in use hundreds of years before the magnetic compass was being used in Europe.

843
00:41:12,000 --> 00:41:13,000
Yes.

844
00:41:13,000 --> 00:41:17,000
Because if you have no alternative, then, well, it's pretty good.

845
00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:19,000
Viking Sun Stone. Check.

846
00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:22,000
Maybe we could sail out to Greenland now.

847
00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:24,000
Oh, you think so? You're feeling confident?

848
00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:25,000
Oh, of course.

849
00:41:25,000 --> 00:41:27,000
Okay, to Greenland, guys. Let's go.

850
00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:29,000
Let's get this thing in gear. Come on.

851
00:41:33,000 --> 00:41:37,000
And like gazing through the crystal, I now see things here in a different light.

852
00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:42,000
The Vikings' reputation for violence and brutality may be well earned,

853
00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:45,000
but they were also fiercely clever engineers and mariners

854
00:41:45,000 --> 00:41:49,000
and more artistically accomplished than we've given them credit for.

855
00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:52,000
And while the Sun Stone may have given the Vikings an edge,

856
00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:57,000
there's something in the cultural DNA of Norway that's also undeniable.

857
00:41:57,000 --> 00:42:02,000
The spirit that made the Vikings so dominant has carried forward in time

858
00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:08,000
to polar explorers and adventurers, to fishing villages, and offshore modern marvels.

859
00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:16,000
Their sagas speak of a magic Sun Stone, and we now know that the legend is true.

860
00:42:16,000 --> 00:42:20,000
But the real magic is the ingenuity of the Vikings themselves,

861
00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:25,000
who turned simple materials into a powerful tool to conquer the seas.