50 "exceptionally well-preserved" Viking skeletons unearthed in Denmark
Archaeologists said they've unearthed more than 50 well-preserved Viking skeletons over the past six months, providing rare insights into how the sea-faring society lived and traveled.
"This discovery offers extraordinary opportunities to perform a wide range of scientific analyses, which can reveal more about the general health, diet, and origins of those buried," said Michael Borre Lundø, archaeologist and curator at Museum Odense, in a statement.
The 2,000-square-meter Viking burial ground was used during the 9th and 10th centuries. It was discovered on the southern outskirts of the village of Åsum.
The skeletons are so well-preserved archaeologists believe they will be able to pull DNA samples for scientific analysis. Subsequent analysis might reveal whether some of the buried Vikings were related — something that had never been examined in similar grave findings, said Borre Lundø.
"It will be incredibly exciting to learn where these people came from and whether the same families were buried here across multiple generations," said Sarah Croix, associate professor at Aarhus University in Denmark.
