50 Viking graves have been discovered off the island of Funen in Denmark. Almost complete skeletons, pearls, coins and a Gotland buckle have been found in the graves.
In the town of Åsum in Odense Municipality on the island of Funen, a company wanted to lay cables in the ground in a field, but before they could do so, Danish archaeologists from Odense Museum were called in to examine the ground for remains. The museum’s excavation director, Michael Borre Lundø, knew that the soil was ‘metal-rich’ because they had previously used a metal detector in the area, but he was still surprised by the findings.
The archaeologists discovered 50 Viking graves containing the remains of both men and women. The entire cemetery measures 30 metres by 60 metres.
– The find is interesting not only because of its size, but even more so because the skeletons are so well preserved, Borre Lundø told the Danish magazine Videnskab.
“A sensation”
Most of the skeletons are unusually well preserved, and some are almost complete. The good condition of the skeletons is probably due to the soil conditions in the area and the high groundwater level, which has resulted in low oxygen uptake. In addition, most of the bodies were deeply buried and therefore well protected from oxygen.
– When the whole skeleton came out of the ground, it was absolutely amazing. I would almost call it a sensation, he says.
Gotland buckle
Beads, buckles, knives and coins were also found in the graves, as well as a Gotland buckle in the shape of an animal’s head. The buckle belonged to a Gotland costume and would probably not have been worn by anyone who was not from Gotland, says the archaeologist.
– This is the first Gotland buckle to be found on Funen – and in general, very few have been found outside Gotland, says Borre Lundø.
The skeletons will be sent to the Panum Institute at the University of Copenhagen for anthropological analysis.
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