Archeologists have discovered a Viking Age burial site near Lisbjerg, Denmark. The artifacts from the graves indicate ties to the Danish monarchy.
These are thirty Viking graves dating back to the time of the famous King Harald Bluetooth. The graves are located 7 kilometers north of Aarhus. In the graves, in addition to bone and tooth remains, pearls, coins, and ceramics have been found, reports the Moesgaard Museum in Aarhus.
The discovery in Lisbjerg is part of a series of remarkable finds in the Aarhus area. According to a museum historian, the artifacts paint a “picture of an environment connected to royal power.”
This can be inferred from an excavated box from a grave. The object is decorated in several places and probably belonged to an important woman. The box contained, among other things, scissors, gold thread, a silver bead, and a brooch.
The graves appear to belong to a powerful noble family who had a farm nearby. They may have been courtiers or confidants of King Harald I. He used nobles to manage territories for him.
Aarhus was one of the most important cities in Denmark during the Viking Age. The city was the center for the king and international trade.