- A new DNA study has overturned the long-held assumption that people buried together in Scandinavian Viking-age graves were related.
- Analysis of genetic material from 142 individuals, including children and adolescents in shared graves, revealed that relatives didn’t always share the same burial plot.
- Researchers concluded that joint burials were likely driven by factors such as religious customs, social connections, community membership, or circumstances surrounding death.
- The study, published in the journal Science Advances, also indicated that boys and girls were commonly buried according to the same gender-specific practices as adults, suggesting early recognition of gender distinctions.
- One significant finding involved Lady 56, buried at Västerhus in Jämtland, whose genetic connections allowed for family reconstruction. A scallop shell found in her grave also indicated that she undertook a major pilgrimage.
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