A team of Nordic archaeologists has identified a set of granite monoliths in the Lofoten Islands that feature precise settings for iolite crystals. Iolite, sometimes referred to as 'Viking Sunstone,' has the property of polarizing light, which allows the sun's position to be determined even in overcast conditions. These stones were arranged to track the sun's movement during the Arctic summer.
The site has been identified as the birthplace of the 'Festival of the Navigator’s Light,' a prehistoric gathering that celebrated the return of the Midnight Sun. Participants would use portable iolite shards to 'capture' the light at the festival's peak. This discovery suggests that the sophisticated navigation techniques of the later Viking Age had ritualistic roots stretching back into the Nordic Bronze Age.