Viking Burial Ground Unearthed in Sweden
What began as a routine excavation for a Stone Age settlement has led to the discovery of a massive Viking Age burial ground in Tvååker, in southwest Sweden.
Medieval DNA Reveals Skeleton’s Link to Norse Saga
A passage in the Sverris Saga, an 800-year-old Norse account, describes a military raid in 1197 during which a body was thrown into a well at castle in Norway. Now, a new study published in iScience has brought this tale to life, as researchers have used ancient DNA to corroborate the saga and uncover details about the so-called “Well-man.”
Elite Grave from Medieval Mongolia Uncovered
Archaeologists in Mongolia have unearthed an elite grave that sheds light on a little-known era before the rise of the Mongol Empire. This extraordinary find offers a rare glimpse into the lives of powerful individuals navigating political upheaval and shifting alliances on the medieval steppe.
Remains of warrior monks (including one woman) discovered in Spain
Researchers in Spain exploring a castle’s cemetery have discovered the remains of 25 people from a medieval military order. Amidst these burials, they also found a woman who could also have been a warrior.
‘Such was the Marshal’s passing…’: The Death of Willam Marshal
A look at the final days of the great English knight, William Marshal.
Study reveals when burial practices changed in early medieval England
It was around the year 600 that burials changed in England. A new study reveals that it was during this time that people altered where and how they buried their dead.
Ship burial discovered in Norway predates Viking Age
A burial mound explored last June in Norway holds the remains of a ship that predates the Viking age. Archaeologists believe this is Scandinavia’s oldest known ship burial.
Medieval cemetery discovered in Wales
Archaeologists working in southern Wales have discovered a cemetery dating back 1400 years ago. Their research reveals that medieval feasting rituals would take place at gravesites.
Anglo-Saxon cemetery discovered in England
Archaeologists working in Lincolnshire have discovered the remains of 23 people from a cemetery dating back to the Anglo-Saxon era. This find, which also includes jewellery and pottery, will be showcased this week on the BBC show Digging for Britain.
Early Medieval Warrior’s remains discovered in Germany
Archaeologists in western Germany have discovered the remains of a medieval warrior. He was buried over 1300 years ago with at least four weapons and a shield.
Strange burial of 9th-century teenager reveals tragic story
English archaeologists have announced the discovery of the remains of a teenage girl buried in the Early Middle Ages. The circumstances of her burial were very unusual, suggesting she may have led a tragic life.
People were decapitated in Anglo-Saxon England crudely, study finds
If just being executed in Anglo-Saxon England was not bad enough, it seems that those unlucky victims of beheading would also have to…
New study reveals that Europe’s Bog Bodies stretched into the Middle Ages
An international team of archaeologists have analysed hundreds of ancient human remains found in Europe’s wetlands, revealing these “bog bodies” were part of a tradition that spanned millennia.
What we learned from a medieval Jewish cemetery in Erfurt
Last month we released a study examining the remains of the medieval Ashkenazi Jewish community in Erfurt, Germany. Our research has given us a better understanding of how this community lived in the Middle Ages.
Medieval skeletons help reveal genetic causes of bone tumours
Two men buried in a medieval graveyard in Ireland had a genetic condition called Multiple Osteochondromas, which causes benign bone tumours. One of the disease mutations is a new discovery, so this is the first time such information has been unlocked from ancient genomic data.
141 Early Medieval Burials discovered in England
Altogether, the discovery included over 2,000 beads, 89 brooches, 40 buckles, 51 knives, 15 spearheads and 7 shield bosses.
Umayyad-era graves discovered in Syria
A new study combining archaeological, historical and bioarchaeological data provides new insights into the early Islamic period in modern-day Syria. The research team was planning to focus on a much older time period but came across what they believe to be the remains of early Muslims in the Syrian countryside.
Early Medieval graveyard discovered
Archaeologists in Germany have discovered 110 graves dating back to the sixth and seventh centuries. Their finds include gold and bronze objects, along with a decapitated horse.
How to Guard Your Tang Dynasty Tomb
Let us delve into the surprisingly colorful and cute world of Tang dynasty ‘tomb guardians’.
Archaeologist reveals how diverse graves were in medieval Finland
Ulla Moilanen studied medieval graves in Finland and found out that the period was more diverse than previously thought.
The tomb of the Black Prince reveals its secrets
A new analysis of the tomb of Edward the Black Prince – who was due to become the King of England – has shed new light on the ingenuity of royal artists in the 14th century.
Ancient DNA analysis tells the story of the ‘Segorbe Giant’
An international research team of geneticists, archaeological scientists, and archaeologists has published the genome sequence of a unique individual from al-Andalus known as the ‘Segorbe Giant’.
A non-binary warrior in medieval Scandinavia?
The modern re-analysis of a grave found in Finland over 50 years ago is challenging the traditional beliefs about gender roles in medieval Scandinavia.
Researcher examines 26,000 graves to understand how early medieval people buried their dead
This relatively swift change – spreading across almost the entirety of western Europe in about 150 years – points to the interconnectedness of early medieval Europe, but is it as simple as that?
Why were people in the Early Middle Ages reopening graves?
In early medieval Europe, the dead and their possessions did not stop being important after the burial – researchers have discovered a widespread tradition of reopening graves.