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A Viking Age burial site has been uncovered at Lisbjerg, near Aarhus, in Denmark.
Excavations carried out by archaeologists from Moesgaard Museum have revealed 30 burials, although it is possible that there could be more in the surrounding area. The graves are believed to date to AD 900-1000, but it is hoped that future analysis will provide more precise information about exactly when the site was in use.
Only a few burials were found to contain surviving fragments of human bones or teeth, but several did produce grave goods such as beads, coins, and ceramics. One particularly noteworthy burial contained a wooden casket, measuring 32cm by 32cm and most likely made of oak, with brackets and a locking mechanism that may have been silver-plated, and decorative rivets along the sides and over the lid. This object is believed to have belonged to a wealthy woman who was interred with a selection of her personal items; X-ray scans indicate that the contents of the box include a silver filigree bead, a possible brooch, a c.14cm-long pair of scissors, and a spool of golden thread. Burials with caskets of this type are very unusual, with only three other examples known to date.
The newly discovered burial ground is located just 1km from a Viking Age nobleman’s farmstead, originally excavated in 1989, which encompassed a 19,000m2 area surrounded by a palisade. The identity of the estate’s owner is unknown, but they would have been someone of great wealth and regional importance. Researchers believe that they probably had connections to the king and were involved in the urban development of Aarhus (or Aros, as it was called in the Viking era), as the royal centre is located just 7km away and was connected to Lisbjerg by a direct road. It is therefore possible that the recently unearthed graves may belong to residents of this estate, with high-status individuals interred with expensive objects, while the burials without grave goods may include enslaved people.
The finds recovered will be analysed over the coming months, while another excavation is planned just a few kilometres from Lisbjerg that may help to improve further our understanding of the area in the Viking Age.
Text: Amy Brunskill / Image: Moesgaard Museum
