It seems that ancient Vikings had a greater influence in Earth’s history than we’ve thought possible. Experts have found an ancient Arabic script invoking Allah on garments dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries.

Experts have uncovered burial costumes from Viking Boat graves that show how Nordic tribes and the Islam were interconnected thousands of years ago, and not just through trade.

A recent study of the garments—discovered in 9th and 10th century graves—has revealed an ancient Arabic script invoking Allah.

Researchers believed in the past how the presence of ancient Islamic artifacts found on Viking sites was evidence of looting and trade, but new discoveries expand our understanding on the mysterious connection between the two cultures suggesting closer links between the two cultures than previously thought.

Furthermore, scientists believe how this latest find suggests that both the Vikings and the Muslim cultures had a similar view of the afterlife.

The history-changing discovery was made by experts for the Uppsala University in Swede who made the discovery while working to recreate textile patters found on Viking woven bands.

Scientists discovered that the object, commonly used as inspiration for a Viking Couture exhibit at the Museum of Enköping contained Kufic characters, and not traditional Viking patterns as experts believed in the past.

Researchers found that the text mentioned Allah, Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, the prophet of Isla in the text.

Researchers explain how Kufic characters were popular during the Viking age in Mosaics found burial monuments and mausoleums across central Asia.

Annika Larsson, researcher in textile archaeology at the Department of Archaeology and Ancient History at Uppsala University, told The Local:

“It shows us that the Vikings were in close contact with other cultures, including with the Islamic world. Of course there were trade relationships, but if you trade a lot over a long period, you start to take in cultural values.

“We also talk a lot about how Vikings went to Asia for trade, and we never speak about the people who came back, but maybe there were Muslims who came to Sweden at this time.”

In a previous statement she had said: “Grave goods such as beautiful clothing, finely sewn in exotic fabrics, hardly reflect the deceased’s everyday life, just as little as the formal attire of our era reflects our own daily lives.

“The rich material of grave goods should rather be seen as tangible expressions of underlying values.”

(H/T The Local)