A new archaeological discovery has revealed the existence of 50 skeletons buried with artifacts in the village of Åsum, near Odense, Denmark. The tombs were found on a 2,000 m² burial site, dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, after excavations which mobilized archaeologists for six months.
Several skeletons, including a woman with particularly rich funerary furniture, were exhumed. The woman’s skeleton was found in the Viking chariot that transported her, used as a coffin. She was found with a necklace of glass beads, a silver-handled knife, an iron key and a piece of glass that could have served as an amulet. These are precious objects emblematic of the jewelry worn by high-ranking Viking women during this era. A richly decorated wooden chest, the contents of which are unknown, was found, reports Michael Borre Lundo, archaeologist and curator at the Odense Museum.
Another grave, containing the skeleton of a man, revealed a bronze borrestil-style trilobed brooch and a red glass bead hung around the neck of the deceased, an iron knife and a small piece of rock crystal. The crystal does not come from Denmark, but from Norway, indicates the press release from the Odense Museum.
The provenance of the objects found shows that the Vikings had trade relations with distant regions. “Several objects from different tombs at Åsum show that the buried Vikings were connected to international trade networks that developed during the Viking Age”he continues. A study carried out in 2023 by the University of Cambridge noted the extent of Viking trade routes in the Iron Age based on antler combs from the same period. The discovery of the burial site allowed archaeologists to assert that Åsum played a determining role in the urbanization of the region and in the emergence of what would become the city of Odense.
The skeletons discovered at the site are exceptionally well preserved, reports Michael Borre Lundo. DNA tests on the bones will be possible, reveals Sarah Croix, associate doctor in archaeology. Properly preserving the skeletons will allow archaeologists to learn more about the Vikings’ lifestyle and trade routes.
