Viking Altar Rock

Viking Altar Rock, a glacial erratic near Sauk Centre, Minnesota, became more widely known in 1943 and has been treated locally as both a landmark and an archaeological site. The large boulder, about 8.2 meters long and 5.2 meters wide, was named for claims connecting it to Norse exploration and has been promoted on a regional “Trail of the Vikings.” Its best-known feature, four roughly triangular holes about 1 meter above the base, matches holes cut by early farmers in the late 19th and early 20th century for blasting preparation. Similar nearby examples and the lack of substantiated evidence do not support a medieval or Viking origin.

Minnesota · United States