Viking jewellery sheds light on dark period of British history
The presence of Scandinavian-style female jewellery in Britain has overturned the idea that the Viking conquest of England was an all-male affair, suggesting that in fact large numbers of women travelled over from the Scandinavian homelands. The work, which is by Dr Jane Kershaw (UCL Institute of Archaeology), is published in a new book titled Viking Identities: Scandinavian Jewellery in England. Read more
Women who lived in the major Viking settlement called Birka in the 9th and 10th centuries dressed in a much more provocative manner than previously believed. When the area around Lake Mälaren was Christianised about a century later, womens dress style became more modest, according to archaeologist Annika Larsson. Read more
The most important Viking treasure find in Britain for 150 years has been unearthed by a father and son while metal detecting in Yorkshire. David and Andrew Whelan uncovered the hoard, which dates back to the 10th Century, in Harrogate in January. The pair kept their find intact and it was transferred to the British Museum to be examined by experts, who said the discovery was "phenomenal".
Viking woman had roots near the Black Sea The bones of one of the women found in one of Norway's most famous Viking graves suggest her ancestors came from the area around the Black Sea. The woman herself was "Norwegian," claims Professor Per Holck at the University of Oslo, who has conducted analyses of DNA material taken from her bones.
Archaeologists said on Monday they found more than 1 000 silver coins in a Viking-age hoard discovered by chance on the Swedish island of Gotland. The treasure, believed to have been buried in the 10th century, also included several silver bracelets and weighed about three kilograms. Edvin Sandborg, 20, and his 17-year-old brother Arvid said they found the hoard last week when they were helping a neighbour with some yard work.