Latest news with #MadsRavn
New York Post
30-06-2025
- General
- New York Post
Viking-era burial site with elite family treasures and gifts discovered, plus an ‘unusual casket'
Archaeologists recently found an artifact-filled Viking-era burial site in Denmark — revealing treasures that once belonged to an elite family. The discovery was announced by Moesgaard Museum (MOMU), a regional Danish museum, in a June statement. The graveyard was found in the village of Lisbjerg, located north of the major Danish city of Aarhus. Archaeologists found 30 graves containing a vast number of burial gifts, including beads and coins. Ceramics were also found at the site, along with gold thread, scissors and 'an unusual casket with beads,' officials said. The site also retained the bones and teeth of the deceased. In a statement translated from Danish to English, officials noted the graves 'contain a number of spectacular items that may indicate connections to the Danish royal power.' 3 An aerial photo shows archaeologists working at a Viking Age burial site in Lisbjerg on June 13, 2025. AFP via Getty Images They added, 'Aarhus was one of Denmark's most important and oldest cities during the Viking era, serving as a center for the king and international trade … Aros and Lisbjerg were closely connected by the old main road, which ran from the Viking city to the manor.' One discovery of particular interest was a silver-plated oak casket that likely belonged to a high-status woman. The grave contained a brooch, needle and a filigree bead, made by twisting fine threads of metal into ornate designs. Mads Ravn, head of local cultural heritage at MOMU, said the grave site is 'very likely' connected to a Viking-era manor less than a mile away. 3 Conservator Helle Strehle holds a Viking Age silver coin discovered at a Viking Age burial site in Lisbjerg, on June 13, 2025. AFP via Getty Images He noted, 'The items we have found in the graves tell us that those buried were people of high status – it could be the very family from the manor that is buried here.' Kasper H. Andersen, a historian at MOMU, said the recent finds are 'part of a series of previous remarkable discoveries in the Aarhus area.' He added, 'Together, they paint a picture of an aristocratic environment linked to royal power, which was part of the Vikings' extensive and dynamic world.' 3 Conservator Helle Strehle points to x-ray images on a computer screen showing a preserved Viking Age casket discovered at a Viking Age burial site in Lisbjerg, on June 13, 2025. AFP via Getty Images The Viking Age lasted from roughly 800 AD to 1050 AD. Artifacts from that era continue to be discovered throughout Europe by archaeologists and hobbyists alike. In April, Swedish archaeologists announced the discovery of an 'unusual' Viking-era coffin. Before that, two curious metal detectorists found a 1,000-year-old Viking 'wallet' last year.
Fox News
30-06-2025
- General
- Fox News
Viking-era burial site with elite family treasures and gifts discovered, plus an 'unusual casket'
Archaeologists recently found an artifact-filled Viking-era burial site in Denmark — revealing treasures that once belonged to an elite family. The discovery was announced by Moesgaard Museum (MOMU), a regional Danish museum, in a June statement. The graveyard was found in the village of Lisbjerg, located north of the major Danish city of Aarhus. Archaeologists found 30 graves containing a vast number of burial gifts, including beads and coins. Ceramics were also found at the site, along with gold thread, scissors and "an unusual casket with beads," officials said. The site also retained the bones and teeth of the deceased. In a statement translated from Danish to English, officials noted the graves "contain a number of spectacular items that may indicate connections to the Danish royal power." They added, "Aarhus was one of Denmark's most important and oldest cities during the Viking era, serving as a center for the king and international trade … Aros and Lisbjerg were closely connected by the old main road, which ran from the Viking city to the manor." One discovery of particular interest was a silver-plated oak casket that likely belonged to a high-status woman. "Together, [the finds] paint a picture of an aristocratic environment linked to royal power, which was part of the Vikings' extensive and dynamic world." The grave contained a brooch, needle and a filigree bead, made by twisting fine threads of metal into ornate designs. Mads Ravn, head of local cultural heritage at MOMU, said the grave site is "very likely" connected to a Viking-era manor less than a mile away. He noted, "The items we have found in the graves tell us that those buried were people of high status – it could be the very family from the manor that is buried here." Kasper H. Andersen, a historian at MOMU, said the recent finds are "part of a series of previous remarkable discoveries in the Aarhus area." He added, "Together, they paint a picture of an aristocratic environment linked to royal power, which was part of the Vikings' extensive and dynamic world." The Viking Age lasted from roughly 800 A.D. to 1050 A.D. Artifacts from that era continue to be discovered throughout Europe by archaeologists and hobbyists alike. In April, Swedish archaeologists announced the discovery of an "unusual" Viking-era coffin. Before that, two curious metal detectorists found a 1,000-year-old Viking "wallet" last year.
Miami Herald
19-06-2025
- Miami Herald
Ancient burial site discovered in Denmark likely belonged to elite Viking family
Archaeologists have uncovered an ancient pagan burial site in eastern Denmark believed to be connected to an elite Viking Age family that lived in the region more than 1,000 years ago. Thirty viking graves and burial gifts dating from the second half of the 900s were unearthed in Lisbjerg, according to a June 17 news release from the Moesgaard Museum. Mads Ravn, head of local heritage at Moesgaard, said the cemetery is likely associated with the estate of a noble family discovered in 1989 just over half a mile away. Based on the grave items discovered at the site, the people buried there could be members of the noble household and possibly even the main family, according to experts. Among the notable finds were coins, ceramic artifacts, beads, and an ornate box filled with gold thread, scissors, and pearls, according to the release. Experts said a casket filled with decorative objects discovered at the site likely belonged to a prominent woman, and noted very few like it have ever been found. The site is just over four miles from Aarhus, which experts describe as one of the oldest and most important Viking towns in Denmark, serving as an international trading hub and home to royalty. Google Translate was used to translate the news release from the Moesgaard Museum.
Gizmodo
19-06-2025
- Science
- Gizmodo
Archaeologists Unearth Viking-Era Burial With Incredibly Rare Casket
The 30 Viking graves range from richly furnished to bare-bones, hinting at a burial ground for both nobles and the people they enslaved. Archaeologists from Denmark's Moesgaard Museum have uncovered 30 Viking Age graves dating from 800 to 1050 CE, just under five miles north of Aarhus. Located near the town of Lisbjerg, the burial site has yielded a number of spectacular objects hinting at ties with Danish royalty. 'The burial site is most likely connected to the Viking-era manor in Lisbjerg, which is less than a kilometer from the burial site,' Mads Ravn, an archaeologist from Moesgaard and Viking Age expert, explained in the Moesgaard statement announcing the discovery. 'The objects we have found in the graves tell us that those buried here were people of high status—it could be the extended family from the farm that is buried here.' However, the varying grave sizes and grave goods also suggest that people of different social classes were laid to rest here, potentially nobles and the people they enslaved. According to the archaeologists, the graves are pagan and probably date to the 900s. In fact, Ravn told the AFP that the burial might include one of Harald Bluetooth's earls or stewards. The Viking Age saw Denmark's first kings rise to power and Aarhus become one of the region's most important royal and trade centers. Harald Bluetooth was king during the second half of the 10th century. He is best known for unifying Denmark, converting the country to Christianity, and conquering Norway—as well as inspiring the name of the familiar wireless technology. The Lisbjerg burial includes grave goods such as coins, ceramics, and a rare casket. Archaeologists left the casket within a block of soil in order to complete the excavation of the artifact in a laboratory, according to The History Blog. Nevertheless, X-ray images reveal that the wooden box is around 12.6 square inches, likely made of oak, and features fancy rivets, potentially silver-plated fittings, and a locking mechanism. It contains pearls, a pair of scissors around 5.5 inches long (14 centimeters), an intricate silver bead, a needle, gold thread, possibly a brooch and a ribbon with gold thread, as well as the teeth and bones of a deceased individual. The researchers suggest that the casket likely belonged to an important woman. It represents a rare specimen of just a few such objects known to scholars, including one unearthed in the town of Haldum, just 7.5 miles (12 km) from Lisbjerg. As reported by The History Blog, the fittings of the newly discovered casket are also similar to those of the beautiful ninth-century Bamberg Casket, an extremely ornate Viking box with a complex locking mechanism currently housed in the Bavarian National Museum in Munich. Overall, 'the finds in Lisbjerg are part of a series of previous fine finds in the Aarhus area,' said Kasper H. Andersen, a historian at Moesgaard also specialized in the Viking Age. 'Together, they paint the picture of an aristocratic environment that was linked to royal power, and which was part of the Vikings' vast and dynamic world.'
The Independent
18-06-2025
- Science
- The Independent
‘Very rare' Viking grave uncovered in Denmark by accident
Archaeologists have found over 30 graves from the Viking era near Aarhus, Denmark, including a 'very rare' coffin of an 'important woman' who lived in the 10th century. Researchers were alerted to the burial site near the town of Lisbjerg, north of Aarhus, after construction work led to the discovery of a trove of artefacts, including pearls, coins, and ceramics. Further excavations revealed that these were gifts deposited in the Viking graves discovered at the site. The graves, considered to be pagan, contained teeth and bones of the dead as well as spectacular objects, like a box with pearls, indicating a connection to the Danish monarchy. 'The burial site is most likely associated with the nobleman's farm in Lisbjerg from the Viking Age, which is located less than a kilometer from the burial site,' archaeologist Mads Ravn from Denmark 's Moesgaard Museum said. 'The objects we have found in the graves tell us that the buried are people of high status. It could be the extended family from the farm itself that is buried here.' The findings point to the Danish town being a seat of power in the 900s during the reign of the famous Viking king Harald Bluetooth, who reigned during this time. 'The finds in Lisbjerg are part of a series of previous fine finds in the Aarhus area," Kasper Andersen, Viking historian from the Moesgaard Museum, said. 'Together, they paint the picture of an aristocratic environment that was linked to royal power, and which was part of the Vikings' vast and dynamic world.' One of the artefacts found at the site is a 'magnificent' wooden coffin, likely made of oak and belonging to an 'important woman' buried with ornaments and personal belongings. The coffin was made with fine rivets on its corners, sides and top as well as a fine locking mechanism, and at least some of these fittings were silver-plated. Inside, archaeologists found a pair of long scissors, a silver bead, a needle, a ribbon with gold thread, and what seemed to be a brooch. 'This could have been one of Harald Bluetooth's earls or stewards," Dr Ravn, a specialist in the Viking Age, told AFP news agency. The museum said in a statement that the coffin was 'one of very few of this type that we know of'. Researchers were hoping to complete the excavation this week and begin a thorough analysis of the recovered artefacts and human remains.
