The Oseberg ship was discovered within a sizable mound in 1904 near Oseberg Farm in Westfold County, Norway. It is considered one of the most well-preserved and fascinating findings among Viking ships, despite the fact that the burial site, which dates back to 834 AD, had been plundered during the Middle Ages. The bow of the ship and the roof of the burial chamber had been cut open, the remains of two women were scattered, and all valuable metal objects had been stolen. Nevertheless, the burial chamber at Oseberg contained numerous funerary items that the thieves deemed worthless but were of immense value to Viking-era archaeology.
One of the most intriguing discoveries at Oseberg is the Buddha bucket, often referred to as the "Buddha-bøtte." This bucket features two identical figures that form the joints of the bucket handle. Both figures depict a man seated in the lotus position. Their heads are flat, and their faces, with closed eyes, bear a serene and contemplative expression. The men's chests are adorned with intricately chiseled red and yellow enamel and a panel of millefiori. The four swastikas on the enamel decoration are designed in the conventional Buddhist tradition, where this symbol represents goodness and good fortune.
It is worth noting that Vikings may have encountered Buddhist missionaries during their expeditions. In Sweden, on Helgo Island, a sixth-century Buddha statue from northern India was discovered (now displayed at the Swedish National Antiquities Museum in Stockholm). However, it doesn't seem that the Oseberg Buddha was imported from Asia. Researchers suggest Ireland or England as possible places of origin. The ornament on Hexham's bucket resembles a flat human head with a similar broad face and eye expression. Other parallels include a hanging bowl found in Leland, Norway (held at the Oslo Museum), and a bowl discovered in Maas, Holland (in the Leiden Museum). Both of these bowls feature human-shaped handles decorated with red and yellow enamel. Perhaps the most striking resemblance to the Oseberg Buddha is found on the anthropomorphic shields of the Myklebostad hanging bowl, which also exhibit intricate notches in red, yellow, and green, along with millefiori panels. However, in this case, the figure is depicted standing rather than seated.