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Jan 9, 2019 · All of these women, whether they were active warriors or strong female rulers, embodied the Viking ideal of independence and personal strength even though they were, largely, idealized women; there is no evidence of actual shieldmaidens.
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It's the first genetic confirmation of a female Viking warrior.
An elaborate Viking Age grave in Sweden holds the remains of a decorated female warrior from the 10th century, providing the first archaeological evidence that women held high-status positions in Viking culture.
The remarkable find was revealed in a study by researchers at Stockholm and Uppsala Universities and published in the American Journal of Anthropology. Their DNA analysis of the skeleton confirmed that the individual was a woman older than 30 years old, who stood somewhere around 5 feet 6 inches tall.
Several weapons were buried alongside the body, including a sword, armor-piercing arrows, a battle knife, an axe, a spear and two shields, indicating that the skeleton was likely that of a warrior. Accompanying the wide array of weapons were two horses and a full set of game pieces and a gaming board. The gaming pieces suggest that the person buried was a high-ranking combatant who was knowledgeable of strategies and tactics.
“This is the first formal and genetic confirmation of a female Viking warrior,” said Professor Mattias Jakobsson in a report by Uppsala University.
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Sep 12, 2017 · Famous Viking Warrior Was a Woman, DNA Reveals. New evidence forces reconsideration of a well-known gravesite—and may shed light on Viking gender roles. By Michael Greshko. September 12,...
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Apr 19, 2014 · But there is absolutely no hard evidence that women trained or served as regular warriors in the Viking Age. Valkyries were an object of the imagination, creatures of fantasy rooted in the experience of male warriors. War was certainly a part of Viking life, but women warriors must be classed as Viking legend.
Feb 19, 2019 · The female warrior grave Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson and her colleagues studied dates to the 10th century, and was buried in the Birka Viking settlement on the Swedish island of Björkö. Out...
