Archaeologists think the burial ground dates from the 900s, (Image: Museum Odense)
have unearthed an extraordinary Viking burial ground in with the almost-complete skeletons of around 50 people. The discovery was reportedly made during preparations to lay electrical cables.
Experts believe the excavations will help shed light on the lives of the Nordic people best known for their seafaring exploits in the Middle Ages.
The skeletons, discovered near Denmark’s third-largest city Odense, were kept intact by high water levels and favorable soil conditions that prevented them from decomposing, according to Michael Borre Lundoe, the excavation leader from Museum Odense.
Mr Lundoe said: “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, and five toes. And that opens up a whole new set of possibilities for discoveries.”
Rare artifacts, including knives, glass pearls, and brooches from 850 to 970 AD, were uncovered during a six-month excavation.
The burial items suggest most people were from a farming community, with one woman of higher status buried with a silver-adorned knife and glass – a rarity in the Viking Age.
Soil samples were taken to identify burial seasons and textiles. An X-ray revealed a brooch associated with Viking women’s clothing.
Most skeletons have been removed for examination and cleaning after drying at the museum.
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The Viking Age graves near Åsum date back to the 900s, possibly during the reign of Danish King Gorm “the Old” and Queen Thyra from Jelling.
While historians debate Gorm’s exact rule, it’s widely accepted that Funen was part of his kingdom.
The recent findings highlight the region’s importance during that period.
Gorm and Thyra were the parents of Harald Bluetooth, who succeeded Gorm in 958 and claimed to have converted Denmark to Christianity, though Old Norse gods like Thor, Odin, and Freyr were still worshipped during Gorm’s reign.