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Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
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.
Gizmodo
2 days ago
- Science
- Gizmodo
Archaeologists Unearth Viking-Era Burial With Incredibly Rare Casket
The 30 Viking graves range from richly furnished to bare-bones, hinting at a burial ground for both nobles and the people they enslaved. Archaeologists from Denmark's Moesgaard Museum have uncovered 30 Viking Age graves dating from 800 to 1050 CE, just under five miles north of Aarhus. Located near the town of Lisbjerg, the burial site has yielded a number of spectacular objects hinting at ties with Danish royalty. 'The burial site is most likely connected to the Viking-era manor in Lisbjerg, which is less than a kilometer from the burial site,' Mads Ravn, an archaeologist from Moesgaard and Viking Age expert, explained in the Moesgaard statement announcing the discovery. 'The objects we have found in the graves tell us that those buried here were people of high status—it could be the extended family from the farm that is buried here.' However, the varying grave sizes and grave goods also suggest that people of different social classes were laid to rest here, potentially nobles and the people they enslaved. According to the archaeologists, the graves are pagan and probably date to the 900s. In fact, Ravn told the AFP that the burial might include one of Harald Bluetooth's earls or stewards. The Viking Age saw Denmark's first kings rise to power and Aarhus become one of the region's most important royal and trade centers. Harald Bluetooth was king during the second half of the 10th century. He is best known for unifying Denmark, converting the country to Christianity, and conquering Norway—as well as inspiring the name of the familiar wireless technology. The Lisbjerg burial includes grave goods such as coins, ceramics, and a rare casket. Archaeologists left the casket within a block of soil in order to complete the excavation of the artifact in a laboratory, according to The History Blog. Nevertheless, X-ray images reveal that the wooden box is around 12.6 square inches, likely made of oak, and features fancy rivets, potentially silver-plated fittings, and a locking mechanism. It contains pearls, a pair of scissors around 5.5 inches long (14 centimeters), an intricate silver bead, a needle, gold thread, possibly a brooch and a ribbon with gold thread, as well as the teeth and bones of a deceased individual. The researchers suggest that the casket likely belonged to an important woman. It represents a rare specimen of just a few such objects known to scholars, including one unearthed in the town of Haldum, just 7.5 miles (12 km) from Lisbjerg. As reported by The History Blog, the fittings of the newly discovered casket are also similar to those of the beautiful ninth-century Bamberg Casket, an extremely ornate Viking box with a complex locking mechanism currently housed in the Bavarian National Museum in Munich. Overall, 'the finds in Lisbjerg are part of a series of previous fine finds in the Aarhus area,' said Kasper H. Andersen, a historian at Moesgaard also specialized in the Viking Age. '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.'
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The Independent
3 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Surprise grave find reveals secrets of Viking king
Archaeologists in Denmark have discovered over 30 Viking -era graves near Aarhus, including the coffin of an important 10th-century woman. The burial site was found after construction work uncovered artefacts like pearls, coins, and ceramics, indicating gifts in Viking graves. Grave findings, including a box with pearls, suggest a connection to the Danish monarchy and high-status individuals, possibly related to a nearby nobleman's farm. The discoveries indicate that the Danish town was a seat of power in the 900s during the reign of Viking king Harald Bluetooth. A magnificent wooden coffin, likely belonging to an important woman, contained items like scissors, a silver bead, and gold thread, suggesting she may have been one of Harald Bluetooth's earls or stewards.
France 24
3 days ago
- Science
- France 24
🌟The Bright Side: Viking burial site discovered by accident in Denmark
A 10th-century burial site believed to have belonged to a Viking noble family has been discovered by accident in northern Denmark, packed with a "spectacular" trove of ancient objects, a museum announced Tuesday. The discovery came when pearls, coins, ceramics and a box containing a gold thread were unearthed during construction work near Lisbjerg, a village located seven kilometres north of Aarhus, Denmark's second-largest city. Archaeologists found the site contained around 30 graves dating from the second half of the 10th century, when the famous King Harald Bluetooth reigned, said the Moesgaard Museum in Aarhus. According to the museum's archaeologist Mads Ravn, the graves are most likely linked to a noble family from the Viking Age – which lasted between the eighth and 11th centuries – whose farm was discovered less than a kilometre from the burial site in the late 1980s. "This could have been one of Harald Bluetooth's earls or stewards," Ravn told AFP. Ravn noted that the king, who introduced Christianity to what is today Denmark, tasked nobles with managing certain regions. Researchers also discovered some human remains, such as teeth and bones, at the site. "People basically took what was important to them into the grave because they wanted to transfer it to the other world," the archaeologist said. One of the graves, which scientists believe belonged to an important woman, contained a box filled with decorative objects and a pair of scissors. The "magnificent" box is a remarkable find, according to Ravn, with only a few having been discovered before, including one in southeastern Germany. "It's very rare, there's only three of them we know of," he said. The excavations at Lisbjerg are due to be completed this week, after which experts will begin a thorough analysis of the objects recovered. Wooden objects in particular should help them accurately date the burial site. As a royal and commercial centre, Aarhus was one of Denmark's most important cities during the Viking Age.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
"Very Rare": 10th Century Viking Burial Site Discovered In Denmark
In an accidental find, a 10th-century burial site believed to have belonged to a Viking noble family has been discovered in northern Denmark, packed with a "spectacular" trove of ancient objects, a museum announced Tuesday. The discovery came when pearls, coins, ceramics and a box containing a gold thread were unearthed during construction work near Lisbjerg, a village located seven kilometres (four miles) north of Aarhus, Denmark's second-largest city. Archaeologists found the site contained around 30 graves dating from the second half of the 10th century, when the famous King Harald Bluetooth reigned, said the Moesgaard Museum in Aarhus. According to the museum's archaeologist Mads Ravn, the graves are most likely linked to a noble family from the Viking Age -- which lasted between the eighth and 11th centuries -- whose farm was discovered less than a kilometre from the burial site in the late 1980s. "This could have been one of Harald Bluetooth's earls or stewards," Ravn told AFP. Ravn noted that the king, who introduced Christianity to what is today Denmark, tasked nobles with managing certain regions. Researchers also discovered some human remains, such as teeth and bones, at the site. "People basically took what was important to them into the grave because they wanted to transfer it to the other world," the archaeologist said. One of the graves, which scientists believe belonged to an important woman, contained a box filled with decorative objects and a pair of scissors. The "magnificent" box is a remarkable find, according to Ravn, with only a few having been discovered before, including one in southeastern Germany. "It's very rare, there's only three of them we know of," he said. The excavations at Lisbjerg are due to be completed this week, after which experts will begin a thorough analysis of the objects recovered. Wooden objects in particular should help them accurately date the burial site. As a royal and commercial centre, Aarhus was one of Denmark's most important cities during the Viking Age.
