A centuries-old gold disc found in Denmark has revealed the earliest known mention of the Norse god Odin at least 150 years earlier than any previous inscription.

The disc, known as a bracteate, was unearthed in a treasure trove in Vindelev, central Denmark, in 2020, alongside Roman coins that had been reworked into jewelry.

It was displayed to the public at a museum near the discovery site and only recently made available to academics who were able to establish its significance.

Odin is one of the primary gods of Norse mythology, a pre-Christian pagan belief system central to Viking society.

Simon Nygaard, an assistant professor in pre-Christian Nordic religion at Aarhus University in Denmark, told NBC News on Wednesday.

Nygaard, who was consulted about the interpretation of the inscription on the bracteate, added that finding a runic inscription that includes Odin's name was

Before the Vindelev hoard's discovery, the oldest mention of Odin was a brooch found in southern Germany from the latter half of the 6th century.

The disc features an inscription: said Krister Vasshus, a linguist who helped to decipher the runic inscription. He added that it also features a name or nickname or who was likely the king or ruler of the place where the bracteate was made.

he added.

The bracteate also displays a swastika, an ancient symbol used throughout the Iron Age and later co-opted by German nationalists and Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party.

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