Study finds evidence of violence in Iron Age and Viking-era remains

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  A study of Scandinavian remains found evidence of traumatic injuries in 12 people from the Iron Age and Viking Age.

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  Eight of the 12 showed signs of deliberate, sometimes fatal violence, and some had multiple wounds.

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  The remains span about 1,500 years, from 500BC to 1050AD, and were found outside conventional burial places.

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  Researchers say the injuries may have resulted from domestic violence, community fights or warfare, while some remains may point to ritual violence or human sacrifice.

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  The findings include a woman whose shin was cut in half and a man who survived three major skull injuries before his death.

Who

Archaeologists from the BODY-POLITICS Project studied the remains. Lead author Marianne Hem Eriksen is a professor at the National Museum of Denmark.

What

Researchers found traumatic injuries in 12 people, with evidence of deliberate violence in eight.

When

The remains date from 500BC to 1050AD.

Where

The remains were found in Scandinavia, including sites in Jutland and Gammel Lejre.

Why

The injuries may have resulted from domestic violence, local fights or warfare. Researchers also say some deaths may have involved ritual violence or human sacrifice.

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