Archaeologists say the 50 “Exceptional well-preserved” Viking skeletons unearthed in Denmark is an “exciting” find that could give insights into aspects of life during the Viking Age.
“This is such an exciting find because we found these skeletons that are so very, very well preserved,” said archaeologist Michael Borre Lundø, who led the six-month excavation. “Normally, we would be lucky to find a few teeth in the graves, but here we have entire skeletons.”

According to archeologists from Museum Odense, favorable soil chemistry, particularly chalk and high water levels, is the reason that these skeletons have been so well preserved. The site was discovered during a routine survey, ahead of power line renovation work on the outskirts of the village of Aasum, five kilometers (3 miles) northeast of Odense.
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DNA analysis may reveal details of the skeleton’s life stories as well as insights into other aspects of life during the Viking Age, such as kinship, migration patterns and more. “This opens a whole new toolbox for scientific discovery,” Borre Lundø said.

According to Borre Lunde, a woman is buried in a wagon in one grave – the higher part of a Viking cart was used as a coffin – suggesting she was from the “upper part of society”.

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50 “Exceptional Well-Preserved” Viking Skeletons Unearthed in Denmark, written by Tor Kjolberg, including reporting from The Associated Press. Iamges: Museum Odense.