50 Danish Viking Skeletons Unearthed in a State of ‘Exceptional Preservation’

Over the past six months, archaeologists from Museum Odense have uncovered more than 50 remarkably well-preserved Viking skeletons in the village of Åsum, located east of Odense in southern Denmark. These finds shed light on the daily lives of the people who lived in the area during the 9th century, when Gorm and Thyra reigned in Jelling, providing further evidence of the vast distances Vikings traveled to trade.

According to Michael Borre Lundø, an archaeologist and museum inspector from Museum Odense, the artifacts discovered alongside the skeletons suggest that Vikings engaged in far-reaching trade networks.

"This discovery offers extraordinary opportunities to perform a wide range of scientific analyses, which can reveal more about the general health, diet, and origins of those buried," said Lundø, in a statement.

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Viking burial ground discovered in Åsum, Odense, Demark. (Museum Odense)

Elite and High-status Burials in Viking Denmark

Several of the individuals buried in Åsum appear to have held high status, as indicated by the elaborate grave goods found with them. Among the most notable discoveries is a woman who was buried in what appears to be the remains of a Viking wagon, possibly one she had traveled in during her lifetime.

The woman was laid to rest with an array of personal items, including an elaborate glass bead necklace, a knife with a handle wrapped in silver wire, and an iron wrench. Interestingly, a small shard of glass—possibly used as an amulet—was also found among her belongings.

At the foot of her grave was a finely decorated wooden box, though its contents currently remain a mystery.

Another grave contained a variety of objects as well, including a small bronze three lobed brooch, a single red glass bead that likely hung around the neck of the deceased, an iron knife, and a piece of rock crystal.

The crystal is of particular interest as it is not native to Denmark and likely originated from Norway. Lundø explains that these foreign objects demonstrate the extensive trade connections Vikings maintained with distant regions.

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Bronze, three lobed brooch discovered in one of the graves. (Museum Odense)

Asum and Odense: Urban Formations, Cross-Distance Networks

The discovery of this burial ground also highlights the importance of Åsum during the Viking Age. Archaeologists believe that the settlement played a central role in regional development and may have been crucial to the early formation of what would eventually become the city of Odense, reports CBS News.

The burial site, which spans approximately 2,000 square meters (21527.82 square feet) on Åsum's southern outskirts, dates back to the 800-900s and includes both traditional burials and five cremation graves. Its size places it among the largest Viking burial grounds found on the island of Funen.

Exceptional Preservation

The exceptional preservation of the skeletons has led archaeologists to believe that they will be able to extract DNA samples for scientific analysis. This could potentially uncover whether some of the buried Vikings were related, a line of inquiry that has not been explored in previous grave discoveries, according to Borre Lundø.

50 well-preserved skeletons have been exposed in the burial ground. (Museum Odense)

"It will be incredibly exciting to learn where these people came from and whether the same families were buried here across multiple generations," said Sarah Croix, associate professor at Aarhus University in Denmark.

"Normally when we excavate Viking graves, we'd be lucky if there were two teeth left in the grave besides the grave goods. But here we have the skeletons fully preserved. The skeletons are so amazing. They are so well preserved. There are five fingers, five toes. And that opens up a whole new set of possibilities for discoveries," added Lundo, as quoted by Reuters.

This excavation was conducted as part of preparations for Energinet’s work on modernizing the local electricity grid. Through their findings, the archaeologists have gained new insights into Åsum's significance during the Viking Age, revealing its role as a pivotal location in the early urbanization of the region that would eventually grow into Odense.

“It's fascinating to imagine that the Vikings were undoubtedly aware of the nascent urban development that took place just five kilometers west of where they lived, then known as Odins Vi. Their descendants witnessed the cementing of Odense as a town, while Harald Bluetooth constructed one of his ring continues — Nonnebakken — south of the river as part of his effort to unify the kingdom,” explained Lundø.

Recent Viking discoveries in Denmark  include the unearthing of nearly 300 silver coins, believed to be over 1,000 years old, found in 2023 near a Viking fortress site in northwestern Denmark.

Top image: 50 well-preserved skeletons have been exposed in the burial ground.          Source: Museum Odense

By Sahir Pandey