The remains of two Iron Age warriors and the ritual of sending off souls to the ‘afterlife’

From the two warriors’ graves, researchers uncovered a wealth of information about Iron Age burial rituals, and revealed a connection between humans and the natural world more than 1,000 years ago. .
A new study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science – the monthly scholarly journal of American archeology – has revealed interesting discoveries about Iron Age spiritual culture.

Accordingly, scientists have studied and analyzed two of the 15 ancient tombs discovered in the 1920s on the Valsgärde farm, suburban Uppsala city, central Sweden. Specifically, two ancient tombs are the resting places of two warriors from the 7th century. They are buried in boats with protective helmets, shields and weapons elaborately decorated, even pieces of puzzle pieces. play. The boats carrying the remains of two warriors have a length of more than 9m each, with 4-5 pairs of paddles. Warrior Helmets … and elaborately decorated weapon found in ancient tombs. The remains of the two warriors are placed on a smooth cushion, stuffed with feathers of a variety of birds. Researchers believe that the ancients prepared these items in the hope that the deceased’s journey to the underworld would be easier. Microscopic analysis showed that feathers in cover cover were obtained from geese, ducks, grouse, crows, sparrows, wading birds (swamp birds) and even eagle owls. More strangely, in one tomb, there was an Asian-European wild owl whose head was cut off. Horse bones and other animals (cattle, pigs, sheep, snow owls, black grouse, ducks, geese and northern pike) were also found near the boat when they were buried about 1,400 years ago. There are also artifacts related to animals, including 20 horseshoes, a saddle, four reins, and 4-5 dog leashes. “The warriors seem to be equipped to row into the afterlife, while also being able to land with the help of horses. We guess the choice of feather stuffed with blankets could have a deeper, more symbolic meaning, ”said Professor Birgitta Berglund of the NTNU University Museum in Trondheim, Norway. Feather used as a blanket for the dead Various animals and related artifacts were buried with boats. According to Nordic folklore, feathers stuffed in a blanket for the dying person are very important. Professor Berglund explained that the ancients believed that using feathers, owls, birds of prey, pigeons, crows and squirrels would help prolong the time of “fighting” with death. “In some parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula, goose feathers are considered the best item to help the soul escape from the body,” he points out. The soft feathers in the Valsgärde tombs, the oldest known to be found in the Scandinavian Peninsula, show that the two warriors were among the highest classes of Iron Age society here. The wealthy Greeks and Romans had been lying in bed for the past hundred years, said Berglund, but that the rich in Europe probably did not use it widely until the Middle Ages. Berglund believes that the beheaded owl has implications for burial rituals. According to the researchers, keeping birds of prey like eagle owls has long been a status symbol. “Maybe the owl’s head was cut off to prevent it from coming back,” the professor referred to the swords that were bent in front of the Viking-era tomb to prevent the dead from using weapons if they returned from the realms. died. The dead warriors are well equipped for their journey to the afterlife. Valsgärde was excavated in 1928 by archaeologists from the University Museum of Uppsala today. Here discovered more than 90 tombs from the Iron Age, of which 15 tombs of warriors were buried in the form of boats from the end of the Iron Age (AD 570–1030). The two graves that are the focus of a new study called Valsgärde 7 and 8, both date to the 7th century. According to Professor Berglund, Valsgärde 7 was unearthed in 1933, while Valsgärde 8 was unearthed. in 1936. Besides revealing the Iron Age burial ceremony, the new study also identified feathers as buffers for warriors who were imported or obtained from local birds. If it is imported feathers, this will open up the assumption about a certain historical trade route. Making feather materials is time consuming and challenging for many reasons, said study co-author Jørgen Rosvold, from the Norwegian Institute of Natural History (NINA). “I am still amazed at how well preserved the feathers are despite the fact that they have been lying underground for more than 1,000 years,” he said. The study results showed that the feathers were obtained from different local birds, not through the import route. “The feathers provide new perspectives on the relationship between humans and birds in the past. Archaeological excavations have rarely found traces of birds other than those used for food, ”concluded Mr Berglund.