During An Archaeological Dig, A Viking Settlement And Several Human Skeletons Were Discovered Near The Church
Incredible discoveries are made every day and the sites and artifacts that experts uncover all help to piece a little more of history together.
During an archaeological dig in a small, rural location called Viru-Nigula in northern Estonia, a Viking-era settlement and several human skeletons were discovered near a church.
The dig was conducted before planned roadwork was to take place in the area.
Vikings were a seafaring people who originated from Scandinavia. They raided, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe, even venturing as far as the Middle East, North Africa, and North America.
Now, they have been found to have occupied Estonia, one of the Baltic nations situated right next to Russia.
A total of eleven skeletons were discovered, and four of them were thought to have been buried in a common grave. Researchers estimate that the individuals had been buried between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries.
The bones can provide researchers with valuable information on how the people during those time periods treated illnesses and injuries, in addition to what their eating habits were like.
According to Martin Malve, an archaeologist and bone specialist who was part of the team that uncovered the finds, there were many shards of pottery, nails, and animal remains present among the human skeletons.
These items can reveal what the people’s diets consisted of and what utensils they ate with. Researchers are even taking samples of soil from the site to get a clearer picture of their agricultural practices.
ingusk – stock.adobe.com- illustrative purposes only
Furthermore, one of the skeletons had a fracture in the femur. By examining the broken bone, archaeologists can determine how the person dealt with it.
Malve states that there is a widespread belief that back then, severe fractures were fatal. However, evidence shows that is not true and that people were able to heal from bad breaks.
It is unclear what happened to the settlement. There are speculations that the village burned down or was destroyed by enemies. It is also possible that it was deserted.
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