A murder victim from one of the Norse sagas actually existed; Remains found

The Sverris Saga tells the Old Norse story of King Sverre Sigurdsson, his rise to power and rule over Norway from 1184 to 1202. One of the anecdotes in this book tells of a dead man who was thrown into a well before it was filled with stones. Scientists believe they discovered the remains of this unnamed Well Man hundreds of years later.

He it is only mentioned in one line of the saga, but is now one of its most famous characters. This this is the first time actual remains exist has been linked to the Nordic saga. Scientists discovered the bones several decades ago, in 1938. in the well at Sverresborg Castle – well described in the saga.

At that time, technology was in full swing analyze bones and identify the person did not exist. Now, a joint team from Scandinavia, Iceland and Ireland has carried out genome analysis, radiocarbon dating, isotope analysis and skeletal gene sequencing.

The team collected DNA from the leg bones and skull. “We were very frustrated when we discovered that it was almost entirely bacterial DNA,” – said the co-author new studyMichael Martin. Most human DNA was seriously degraded. Everything changed when they had their teeth pulled out from their lower jaw. The root of one tooth contained enough DNA for sequencing male genome.

The date fits

The team was there putting it together information about the mysterious Well Man for six years. Well Man was between 30 and 40 years old at the time of his death he had blue eyes and blond hair. Its genetics date back to Vest-Agder, a county in southern Norway. ANDcarbon and nitrogen sotopes suggest a diet rich in seafood.

most importantly, He died about 900 years ago. Tits timeline fits perfectly with the story of the invasion of Sverresborg Castle in the years The Sverris Saga.

The story goes that v 1197 AD, the archbishop the fighters stormed the castle in the king’s absence. They didn’t kill anyone, but they burned all the houses and destroyed castle and all royal langskips. Then the archbishop the men took the dead man and threw him into the well and then filled it with stones. Co-author Anna Petersen most scholars concluded that this man was or important down somehow a king Or they tried to poison lock water supply.

Nobody will ever do that Really know what happened. They I know this man was dead before he was was thrown to the well. How he died remains a mystery. Although the saga is not about anyone was killed while invasion, it may not be thing.

“Text no absolutely “It’s true,” Petersen said. “We have observed that reality is much more complex than text”

Martin agreed. “The sagas,” he noted, “are a mixture of historical fact, storytelling, political propaganda, and Old Norse religion.“