The Vikings, history’s legendary sea travelers, are commonly thought of as sword-wielding men who conquered villages and stole treasure. But new research indicates Viking women also joined in the battles.
A team of scientists recently determined that a Viking warrior buried 1,000 years ago in a tomb in Birka, Sweden, wasn’t a man as previously thought, but a woman.
Researchers first unearthed the tomb in 1889. Along with human remains, the grave held a sword, two shields, and other weapons typically reserved for high-ranking Viking fighters. Earlier this year, scientists performed DNA testing on the skeleton’s bones and determined that it was female.
From the late 700s to about 1100, the Vikings traveled along the coast of Europe and beyond. Most sailed to trade goods and explore, but some had a reputation for being plunderers and killers.
Although Viking women had more rights than other women at the time did, some experts question whether they really engaged in battle. They say the artifacts in the tomb could have been heirlooms from a male relative, or perhaps the bones of various people got mixed together.
Still, whether or not Viking women were actual warriors, the scientists involved in the study say the findings suggest women held important roles in the male-dominated community.
According to researcher Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson, “This shows that Viking society was more complex than we thought.”