[The Trønderbonden sculpture at the Nidaros Domkirke. Who is he actually?]

The collections of Nidaros Domkirke contain a large uncrowned sculpture commonly called "Trønderbonden". The historical identity of "Trønderbonden" is not known. However, several anatomical observations, as yet not recognized, do suggest his identity. The position of the mouth and eyelid is skewed to the left, compatible with a left-sided facial paralysis. There is a defect on the left side of the neck, behind the ear and the mastoidal process of the temporal bone, indicative of a muscular injury. Such an injury might also have given rise to the facial paralysis. Altogether, these findings are compatible with and suggest that the head belongs to Erling Skakke, who ruled Norway from 1162 to 1179 AD. Erling suffered a blow to the neck in 1152, when he was a crusader, and after this could only carry his head askew.