Swedish archaeologists found seven graves dating back to the 10th century, one of which contained two children who may have been twins.
Several new Viking graves have been unearthed in Sweden.
The new discovery, made by 3d t shirt archaeological company Uppdrag Arkeologi, is located in the town of Sigtuna, just north of the Swedish capital Stockholm. All 7 graves keep the remains in good condition, including 4 adults and 4 children.
"In one grave, there were two very young infants of the same age. It could be the tragic result of a miscarriage of twins," Johan Runer, project manager of Uppdrag arkeologi told. Live Science.
The remains belong to "Christianized" Vikings who lived more than 1,000 years ago. The excavation team said they found a very distinct Christian character in the layout of the tombs.
Most people were buried
on their backs in an east-west direction, while traditional Vikings in this part of Sweden tended to be cremated at the time," explains Runer. prefer.
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Runer's team also found coal residue at the viking jersey burial site, suggesting that the bonfire ritual involved at least four graves. This ritual was quite common among the Christians of the Viking Age but was quite rare in the former Sigtuna.
The graves contain a number of interesting
artifacts such as leather belts with metal fittings, a comb made of animal bones and silver coins found in the mouths of the remains. Runer adds that placing coins in the mouth of the dead was also common in Christian burials in central Sweden during Viking times.
The cause of death of this newly excavated group is still a mystery. The team plans to send the remains to a chiropractor for further examination and hopes to provide answers in a scientific paper in the near future.