Viking Altar Rock
A closeup of one of the holes
Sketch showing conjectural usage

The Viking Altar Rock in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, is a glacial erratic[1] and a local landmark.

The boulder was found in 1943 and is roughly 8.2 m (27 ft) long by 5.2 m (17 ft) wide.[2] It has four roughly triangular holes about 1 meter above the base.[3] The rock is promoted as an attraction as part of a "Trail of the Vikings" featuring supposed evidence of Norse exploration of Minnesota.[2] This is however conjecture.[3]

The "altar" was rededicated in August 1975 with an ecumenical celebration of Mass.[2]

See also

  • Skystone, a Western Washington erratic with pits drilled in its upper surface

References

  1. ↑ Michlovic, Michael B. "Folk Archaeology in Anthropological Perspective" Current Anthropology, Vol. 31, No. 1 (Feb., 1990), pp. 103-107
  2. 1 2 3 Patricia Monaghan, "A Viking Visitation?" in Wineries of Wisconsin and Minnesota (Minnesota Historical Society, 2008), p. 82 online.
  3. 1 2 Hughey, Michael W.; Michael G. Michlovic (1989). ""Making" history: The Vikings in the American Heartland". International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society. 2 (3): 338–360. doi:10.1007/BF01384829. S2CID 145559328.

45°47′05″N 94°54′58″W / 45.784722°N 94.916111°W / 45.784722; -94.916111

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