Construction workers find Viking graves linked to King ‘Bluetooth'
Construction workers digging about four miles north of Aarhus, Denmark have accidentally discovered a 'spectacular' Viking gravesite. Dating back to the second half of the 10th century, the archeological trove may even tie directly to one of Denmark's most famous rulers: King Harald 'Bluetooth' Gormsson. And yes—his legacy is tied to the handy wireless feature in your smartphone.
The roughly 30 graves containing artifacts and treasures represent the era's entire social hierarchy spectrum, according to an announcement by the Moesgaard Museum. The findings include a gold-threaded box, pearls, coins, ceramics, and even a pair of scissors likely owned by an important noblewoman of the time. The box itself is a particularly remarkable find, as experts believe it's only the third confirmed example of its kind. Human remains such as bones and teeth were also found at the site along with smaller, less ornate graves that possibly held an elite family's enslaved workers.
'Together, they paint the picture of an aristocratic environment that was linked to royal power, and which was part of the Vikings' vast and dynamic world,' Kasper Andersen, a Viking Age historian at Moesgaard, said in a statement.
Archeologists speculate the burial site is probably related to a nobleman's farm located less than 0.65 miles away. That find, discovered in the 1980s, may have belonged to an earl or steward of King Harald Bluetooth—a legendary figure in his own right.
The son of King Gorm the Old, Harald ruled over Denmark and Norway from around 958–986 CE and allegedly earned his nickname from a conspicuously colored tooth. More importantly, he is remembered for spreading Christianity across Denmark, as well as consolidating power over the regions of Jutland and Zealand.
Bluetooth's cultural and territorial influence is famously symbolized by the Jelling Stone—a large rune stone erected in its namesake town by the king in 965 CE. The monument served to commemorate his parents and list his accomplishments, and is often referred to as 'Denmark's Birth Certificate.' More recent archeological evidence, however, indicates Bluetooth probably didn't introduce Christianity to his kingdom, as much as formalize its recognition amid shifting cultural tides.
Despite this, King Harald's push for unification has remained a focal point in Scandinavian history. His influence is so prominent that during the 1990s, Swedish telecom giant Ericsson picked 'Bluetooth' as the working name for a technology intended to 'unite' the computer and cellular service industries. The moniker ended up sticking, and the Ericsson T39 cellphone is credited as the first phone to feature Bluetooth connectivity upon its release in 2001.
Its recognizable icon still used today? The Nordic rune for 'B,' also featured prominently on King Bluetooth's Jelling Stone. And, possibly, some of the archeological relics excavated at the burial site. Experts intend to finish excavations this month, after which they'll begin detailed analysis work on their finds.
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12 hours ago
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Construction workers find Viking graves linked to King ‘Bluetooth'
Construction workers digging about four miles north of Aarhus, Denmark have accidentally discovered a 'spectacular' Viking gravesite. Dating back to the second half of the 10th century, the archeological trove may even tie directly to one of Denmark's most famous rulers: King Harald 'Bluetooth' Gormsson. And yes—his legacy is tied to the handy wireless feature in your smartphone. The roughly 30 graves containing artifacts and treasures represent the era's entire social hierarchy spectrum, according to an announcement by the Moesgaard Museum. The findings include a gold-threaded box, pearls, coins, ceramics, and even a pair of scissors likely owned by an important noblewoman of the time. The box itself is a particularly remarkable find, as experts believe it's only the third confirmed example of its kind. Human remains such as bones and teeth were also found at the site along with smaller, less ornate graves that possibly held an elite family's enslaved workers. 'Together, they paint the picture of an aristocratic environment that was linked to royal power, and which was part of the Vikings' vast and dynamic world,' Kasper Andersen, a Viking Age historian at Moesgaard, said in a statement. Archeologists speculate the burial site is probably related to a nobleman's farm located less than 0.65 miles away. That find, discovered in the 1980s, may have belonged to an earl or steward of King Harald Bluetooth—a legendary figure in his own right. The son of King Gorm the Old, Harald ruled over Denmark and Norway from around 958–986 CE and allegedly earned his nickname from a conspicuously colored tooth. More importantly, he is remembered for spreading Christianity across Denmark, as well as consolidating power over the regions of Jutland and Zealand. Bluetooth's cultural and territorial influence is famously symbolized by the Jelling Stone—a large rune stone erected in its namesake town by the king in 965 CE. The monument served to commemorate his parents and list his accomplishments, and is often referred to as 'Denmark's Birth Certificate.' More recent archeological evidence, however, indicates Bluetooth probably didn't introduce Christianity to his kingdom, as much as formalize its recognition amid shifting cultural tides. Despite this, King Harald's push for unification has remained a focal point in Scandinavian history. His influence is so prominent that during the 1990s, Swedish telecom giant Ericsson picked 'Bluetooth' as the working name for a technology intended to 'unite' the computer and cellular service industries. The moniker ended up sticking, and the Ericsson T39 cellphone is credited as the first phone to feature Bluetooth connectivity upon its release in 2001. Its recognizable icon still used today? The Nordic rune for 'B,' also featured prominently on King Bluetooth's Jelling Stone. And, possibly, some of the archeological relics excavated at the burial site. Experts intend to finish excavations this month, after which they'll begin detailed analysis work on their finds.
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a day ago
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Viking Age woman was buried with her dog in an elaborate 'boat grave,' excavations reveal
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Archaeologists have unearthed what they think are the remains of a Viking Age woman buried with her dog in the far north of Norway. The remains were found late last month in a well-preserved "boat grave" near the village of Sand on the island of Senja, which lies on the Arctic Circle, at a site first recorded by metal detectorists in 2023. The archaeologists don't yet know whether ancient DNA or sex-determined proteins can be extracted from the remains. But they suspect it was the grave of a Viking Age woman because it also contained two distinctive brooches, oval in shape and trimmed with silver wire, that have never been found in graves of Viking Age men. The style of the brooches indicates the grave dates to between 900 and 950, during the heart of the Viking Age. The researchers don't yet know how old the woman was when she died. A small dog was placed in the grave at the woman's feet, perhaps indicating the strength of the bond between them. Anja Roth Niemi, an archaeologist at the UiT The Arctic University of Norway who led the latest excavations, told Live Science that graves from this time throughout Europe often held the remains of dogs and horses. But while horse skeletons were often found in parts, suggesting the animals were sacrifices, dogs were usually buried whole. "This suggests that dogs and humans had a close and cherished relationship, even over 1000 years ago," she said in an email. Related: 7 myths about the Vikings that are (almost) totally false The researchers were surprised to find that the woman had been buried in a "boat grave" consisting of a "sewn boat" almost 18 feet (5.4 meters) long — the first such grave ever found on Senja. In these primitive "sewn boats," the wooden planks of the hull were fixed with something other than iron nails, such as wooden plugs, plant fibers or animal sinew. The boat has now rotted away, and only its shape can be seen. "So-called 'sewn boats' were, until a few years ago, very rare in northern Norway," Niemi said. "However, in recent decades, several such vessels have been found in Iron Age graves in the region." It's thus possible they were fairly common in the area, she added. Two similar boat graves had recently been excavated on the Norwegian island of Hillesøy, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Senja, she said. One of those burials was of a man, and the other was of a woman; both had lived a few generations before the woman in the Senja boat grave. The elaborate burial at Senja and rich grave goods indicate the woman had belonged to the social elite. "We believe the woman buried here held significant status locally, and perhaps even across the region," Niemi said. Image 1 of 3 A small dog was placed in the boat-grave at the woman's feet, perhaps indicating a strong bond between the woman and her pet. Image 2 of 3 The Viking Age grave was found in 2023 by metal detectorists on the island of Senja in the far north of Norway. Image 3 of 3 The researchers returned to the site late last month to excavate the Viking Age grave ahead of construction work near the site. The body of the woman was placed in the middle of the boat, with her head facing north, and the dog's body was placed near the woman's feet, Niemi said. The grave goods included the two brooches; an iron sickle; a slate "whetstone" for sharpening knives; a metal ring with bronze beads, which may have been for tying back hair; two disk-shaped beads, possibly made from amber; a spindle whorl; and what may have been a "sword" or batten used for weaving made from whalebone. Niemi said the sickle and whetstone suggest arming and harvesting, while the spindle and batten suggest spinning and weaving; tools for making textiles were often found in women's graves in Norway and often indicated that the buried individual held high status. RELATED STORIES —'If it was a man, we would say that's a warrior's grave': Weapon-filled burials are shaking up what we know about women's role in Viking society —1,000-year-old Viking Age hoard has a pendant that may be a cross or Thor's hammer —Hårby Valkyrie: A 1,200-year-old gold Viking Age woman sporting a sword, shield and ponytail It would have been important for the mistress of a house to ensure that high-quality textiles were produced. "Textiles were needed for clothing, blankets, and much more, but also for producing sails for boats and ships," she said. In addition, the mistress of a house also would have been expected to create fine clothes and elaborate tapestries that could be displayed during feasts and other visits, emphasizing the hosts' status, Niemi added.
Yahoo
a day ago
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Viking Age burial of chieftain with 'enormous power' found in Denmark — and he may have served Harald Bluetooth
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Archaeologists in Denmark have discovered 30 Viking Age graves likely of an elite family that may have served under Harald Bluetooth, the famed king of Denmark and Norway who ruled during the 10th century. The remarkable graves contained coins, pearls and ceramics, according to a translated statement from Moesgaard Museum, which ran the excavation. Burials from the Viking Age (A.D. 793 to 1066) are not uncovered very often, Liv Stidsing Reher-Langberg, an archaeologist at the museum and excavation leader at the burial site, told Live Science in an email. Most graves from this time are found with few or no grave goods, she added. These newly unearthed burials in Lisbjerg, near Aarhus, however, came with an unusual number of lavish items, suggesting that the people buried in them were prosperous and of high status. "The burial site here at Lisbjerg is quite special," Reher-Langberg said. The archaeologists had previously found a chieftain's farm nearby, so they associated these graves with him. This nobleman would have been part of the aristocracy at the time, just below King Bluetooth in the social hierarchy. Bluetooth was extremely influential, joining the tribes of the region into one kingdom — which is why the technology that unites electronic devices is named after him. "The chieftain in Lisbjerg had enormous power — economically, politically, religiously and socially," Reher-Langberg said. The graves, which likely date to the late 900s, are of varied size and extravagance. This disparity could indicate a mix of social statuses among the buried, possibly the chieftain's family and their enslaved people, the archaeologists said in the statement. Related: 1,000-year-old Viking Age hoard has a pendant that may be a cross or Thor's hammer The "most exceptional" grave was a woman's casket, Naja Kjærgård Laursen, a spokesperson at Moesgaard Museum, said in an email. The coffin "had the finest fittings, rivets, and an advanced locking mechanism," Reher-Langberg added. Image 1 of 2 Pearls were among the impressive goods found in the Viking Age graves. Image 2 of 2 Researchers used X-ray imaging to see which grave goods were hidden in the newly discovered burial site in Lisbjerg, Denmark. Using X-ray imaging, the team found that the casket contained ornate personal belongings, including jewelry, a needle and an elegant pair of scissors. They found more goods in other graves, as well as the teeth and bones of some of the buried individuals. Preliminary investigations in the area indicated there were traces of the pre-Roman Iron Age (500 to 1 B.C.). But even after finding the chieftain's farm nearby, they didn't have any reason to anticipate the Viking Age graves were there, too. It was "a huge surprise," Reher-Langberg said. "We simply had no expectations of finding graves." Related Stories —50 Viking Age burials discovered in Denmark, including a woman in a rare 'Viking wagon' —Viking Age woman was buried with her dog in an elaborate 'boat grave,' excavations reveal —Oseberg tapestry: Viking Age artwork from a boat burial that may depict the Norse tree of life Now that the excavations are almost complete, the team has sent many of the objects to be analyzed and preserved by the museum's Natural Science and Conservation department, Kjærgård Laursen told Live Science. The human remains, wood and soil from the excavation will also be analyzed. "Hopefully, all this will lead to even more studies" in the area, Reher-Langberg said. These artifacts will go on display at Moesgaard Museum in Denmark this summer.
