This find is considered extraordinary due to the rare, well-preserved skeletons from the Viking Age (793-1066 AD), Live Science reports.

The Odense Museum team, led by archaeologist Michael Borre Lundó, said the find was a rare opportunity for in-depth scientific analysis.

It is unusual to find such well-preserved skeletons from the Viking Age, especially considering the acidic Scandinavian soil.
– said Lundo.

The findings provide information about the health, nutrition and origins of the buried, and may even reveal family ties never before studied in Viking graves.

Find site / Odense Museum of Photography

Viking graves from the 900s

The tombs, believed to date back to the 900s, probably date from the reign of the Danish King Gorm the Elder and Queen Tyra, who reigned from Jelling in Jutland. Funen, where the cemetery is located, is believed to be part of the kingdom of Gorm. The presence of these graves emphasizes the importance of the region during the Viking period.

Gorm and Tyra’s son, Harald Blutu, succeeded Gorm and claimed to have converted Denmark to Christianity. However, the Viking kingdom they ruled still worshiped Norse gods such as Thor and Odin.

Funerals indicate wealth and power

Rich people were unearthed in many graves, as evidenced by the grave goods found with them. One particularly notable find was the grave of a woman buried in a Viking carriage, which archaeologists believe was likely the same car in which she traveled throughout her life.

The woman was adorned with a necklace of glass beads, an iron key, a silver-handled knife, and a small piece of glass that may have been used as an amulet. His tomb also contained an ornate wooden chest, but its contents have not been disclosed at this time.

In another grave, a three-pronged bronze buckle, a red glass bead, an iron knife and a piece of rock crystal, possibly imported from Norway, were found, indicating the Vikings’ international trade links.

Bronze buckle / Odense Museum of Photography

The finds at Osuma give scientists an insight into the daily life, trade and burial practices of the Vikings. This enriches the historical narrative of the Viking Age and allows us to understand what the life and customs of ancient people were like.