A burial ground believed to be a standard Viking settlement was recently unearthed at Aasum, near central Odense in Denmark. The site, which spans 21,500 square feet, contains the remains of men, women, and children, as well as some cremated bodies. Some graves contained artifacts such as brooches, necklace beads, knives, and a piece of glass that may have been an amulet, suggesting a date of burial between 850 and 900 A.D. Archaeologists have also found items from distant lands, indicating the presence of extensive Viking trade routes during the 10th century.
The burial site was discovered last year, and the recent dig, which concluded in April, has sent artifacts to Museum Odense for further analysis. Conservators hope to uncover more organic materials that may provide insights into the lives of the people buried at Aasum. The artifacts found at the site, including pieces from Gotland in Sweden, hint at the connections between Viking communities across Scandinavia during the early medieval period. By piecing together the puzzle of these findings, researchers hope to gain a deeper understanding of the individuals who lived in this Viking settlement, as well as their interactions and relationships with neighboring communities.
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