'Very rare' Viking grave uncovered in Denmark by accident

Discovery points to Danish town being seat of power during reign of famous king in 900s

Vishwam Sankaran
Wednesday 18 June 2025 10:15 BST

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.”

More:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/viking-grave-denmark-aarhus-rare-b2772109.html