Latest news with #graves
BBC News
02-07-2025
- BBC News
Diocese appeals for donations to repair vandalised graves
The Diocese of Paisley has appealed for donations to help repair vandalised graves in East Renfrewshire. Around 40 headstones were smashed and a large crucifix set on fire at Barrhead the weekend, in scenes locals previously told the BBC were "horrendous". The diocese announced it would contribute an initial sum of £15,000 to formally launch the appeal, with an online fund set up for future funding that will go towards helping affected families.A 39-year-old man appeared at Paisley Sheriff Court on Monday charged with vandalism and wilful fire raising in connection with the incidents. A spokesperson for the diocese said it was "incredibly grateful" for donations that have already come in, but external funding via other online funds could not have gift aid applied, which would add extra cash to the total spokesperson added: "External funds make it difficult to manage the distribution of donations to the affected families. Donations which come to the diocese allow us to liaise with the owners of the lairs and fund the necessary repairs to their gravestones." The spokesperson also said that the diocese thanked everyone who has already offered support. Word of the vandalism began to spread on social media on Sunday, followed by a statement from the Bishop of Paisley, John Monday the graveyard was filled with families checking whether graves of their loved ones had been affected. A staff member at the cemetery told BBC Scotland on Monday he had never seen vandalism like it in more than 30 years working woman told BBC Scotland: "To see all this damage is horrendous. Everybody is in shock, they can't quite believe it. It's very emotional."
BBC News
30-06-2025
- BBC News
Families in distress over 'horrendous' vandalism at graveyard
Emotional families have spoken of their distress after "horrendous" vandalism of their loved ones' graves at a Renfrewshire cemetery. About 40 headstones were smashed and a large wooden crucifix was set on fire at St Conval's on Glasgow Road in Barrhead at the groundsman at the graveyard told BBC Scotland News that he had never seen damage like it in more than 30 years working there. A 39-year-old man appeared at Paisley Sheriff Court on Monday charged with wilful fire-raising and malicious damage. He made no plea. The man was remanded in custody for further the cemetery some of the tombstones had been pushed over, others had plaques cracked or angels decapitated. A stream of cars and taxis filed into the grounds as families arrived to check whether their lair was one of those damaged. Anna Gualeldi feared that her niece's grave would be among those damaged. She had seen social media photos showing a fallen statue that she recognised as being near to where her niece - also called Anna - is was proved correct, and was tiding up broken statues when spoke to the said: "I was very emotional as my sister and brother in law are up here every day since Anna died in 2003, and they keep the grave beautiful. They're away just now. "To see all this damage is horrendous. Everybody is in shock, they can't quite believe it. It's very emotional." Patricia Zecevic also found the statue at her family's grave had been targeted, with the head completely hopes that it might be fixed on again in the explained: "I came first thing this morning, preparing myself for the worst. "It looked like they've sheared the head off. The fact it's tall and beside a path made me think it would be seen. "I saw the wings and thought it would be OK at first, but then I saw the empty space between the wings." Word of the vandalism began to spread on social media on Sunday, followed by a statement from the Bishop of Paisley John Keenan, who is currently in those who found their graves untouched, there were mixed feelings, as relief mixed with sadness at what lay around Minney estimated that the number of family and friends he had buried at St Conval's was in double the vandalism to the graves and the burning of the crucifix - a local landmark - had affected him."There's a lot of history here. Hopefully they'll all get sorted," he said. "There's one near my mother in law's that's been shattered beyond repair and I saw a young boy of about 10 crying over it. The distress is real. Hopefully with due time they'll get back to what it was." Work is already underway to tidy up and repair some of the most obvious damage.A staff member told the BBC that phones had been ringing non-stop since the news added: "The cross is a bit of a landmark here. It's made of metal and the statue of Christ is made of concrete, so it's blackened it - luckily it's not badly damaged, just blackened. "I've been here 36 years and I can count on one hand [cases of vandalism]. It's never been anything like this."Debris from around the base of the cross has already been cleared there is still sadness from those picking up the pieces, as Ms Gualeldi observed."Even when someone's dead they can't rest in peace," she said.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Viking Age burial of chieftain with 'enormous power' found in Denmark — and he may have served Harald Bluetooth
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Archaeologists in Denmark have discovered 30 Viking Age graves likely of an elite family that may have served under Harald Bluetooth, the famed king of Denmark and Norway who ruled during the 10th century. The remarkable graves contained coins, pearls and ceramics, according to a translated statement from Moesgaard Museum, which ran the excavation. Burials from the Viking Age (A.D. 793 to 1066) are not uncovered very often, Liv Stidsing Reher-Langberg, an archaeologist at the museum and excavation leader at the burial site, told Live Science in an email. Most graves from this time are found with few or no grave goods, she added. These newly unearthed burials in Lisbjerg, near Aarhus, however, came with an unusual number of lavish items, suggesting that the people buried in them were prosperous and of high status. "The burial site here at Lisbjerg is quite special," Reher-Langberg said. The archaeologists had previously found a chieftain's farm nearby, so they associated these graves with him. This nobleman would have been part of the aristocracy at the time, just below King Bluetooth in the social hierarchy. Bluetooth was extremely influential, joining the tribes of the region into one kingdom — which is why the technology that unites electronic devices is named after him. "The chieftain in Lisbjerg had enormous power — economically, politically, religiously and socially," Reher-Langberg said. The graves, which likely date to the late 900s, are of varied size and extravagance. This disparity could indicate a mix of social statuses among the buried, possibly the chieftain's family and their enslaved people, the archaeologists said in the statement. Related: 1,000-year-old Viking Age hoard has a pendant that may be a cross or Thor's hammer The "most exceptional" grave was a woman's casket, Naja Kjærgård Laursen, a spokesperson at Moesgaard Museum, said in an email. The coffin "had the finest fittings, rivets, and an advanced locking mechanism," Reher-Langberg added. Image 1 of 2 Pearls were among the impressive goods found in the Viking Age graves. Image 2 of 2 Researchers used X-ray imaging to see which grave goods were hidden in the newly discovered burial site in Lisbjerg, Denmark. Using X-ray imaging, the team found that the casket contained ornate personal belongings, including jewelry, a needle and an elegant pair of scissors. They found more goods in other graves, as well as the teeth and bones of some of the buried individuals. Preliminary investigations in the area indicated there were traces of the pre-Roman Iron Age (500 to 1 B.C.). But even after finding the chieftain's farm nearby, they didn't have any reason to anticipate the Viking Age graves were there, too. It was "a huge surprise," Reher-Langberg said. "We simply had no expectations of finding graves." Related Stories —50 Viking Age burials discovered in Denmark, including a woman in a rare 'Viking wagon' —Viking Age woman was buried with her dog in an elaborate 'boat grave,' excavations reveal —Oseberg tapestry: Viking Age artwork from a boat burial that may depict the Norse tree of life Now that the excavations are almost complete, the team has sent many of the objects to be analyzed and preserved by the museum's Natural Science and Conservation department, Kjærgård Laursen told Live Science. The human remains, wood and soil from the excavation will also be analyzed. "Hopefully, all this will lead to even more studies" in the area, Reher-Langberg said. These artifacts will go on display at Moesgaard Museum in Denmark this summer.
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The Independent
18-06-2025
- General
- The Independent
Surprise grave find reveals secrets of Viking king
Archaeologists in Denmark have discovered over 30 Viking -era graves near Aarhus, including the coffin of an important 10th-century woman. The burial site was found after construction work uncovered artefacts like pearls, coins, and ceramics, indicating gifts in Viking graves. Grave findings, including a box with pearls, suggest a connection to the Danish monarchy and high-status individuals, possibly related to a nearby nobleman's farm. The discoveries indicate that the Danish town was a seat of power in the 900s during the reign of Viking king Harald Bluetooth. A magnificent wooden coffin, likely belonging to an important woman, contained items like scissors, a silver bead, and gold thread, suggesting she may have been one of Harald Bluetooth's earls or stewards.
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.
