Author Archives: Jules William Press
Baðstofa
Archaeologists discover a child’s skull built into the floor of a 2,500-year-old Scandinavian house
A study of nearly 200 individuals buried in domestic contexts in ancient and Viking Age Scandinavia has revealed unusually high levels of violence. By Kristina Killgrove Archaeologists have unearthed evidence that men, women and children were subjected to violence within their communities in ancient Scandinavia — and that these victims were buried in unusual places,Continue reading “Archaeologists discover a child’s skull built into the floor of a 2,500-year-old Scandinavian house”
This morbid Viking Age death pit is more mystifying than it first seemed – here’s why
A newly discovered burial pit dating to the Viking Age contains the remains of at least ten young men. But were they victims of battle, execution – or something else entirely? By Tom Horne Violence was a defining feature of 9th-century Anglo-Saxon England. This was a period of aggressive Viking invasions, violent rivalry between Anglo-SaxonContinue reading “This morbid Viking Age death pit is more mystifying than it first seemed – here’s why”
Did the Vikings really shoot fiery arrows at funeral boats?
The idea of Vikings using fire arrows to set funeral boats ablaze is seen frequently in popular culture. But did it really happen? By Owen Jarus In movies and TV shows, it’s a popular motif: A dead Viking is placed on a boat, and it drifts slowly out to sea; from land, an archer shootsContinue reading “Did the Vikings really shoot fiery arrows at funeral boats?”