A female Viking warrior confirmed by genomics

Area of Science:

• Archaeogenetics
• Viking Age Studies
• Bioarchaeology

Background:

• The Birka grave Bj 581, a well-furnished warrior burial, was historically presumed to belong to a male individual.
• Previous osteological analysis suggested a female sex, creating a historical and archaeological controversy.

Observation:

• Genome-wide sequence data and Y-chromosome analysis were employed to determine the biological sex of the individual.
• Strontium isotope analysis was conducted to investigate the individual's mobility.

Findings:

• Genomic results definitively identified the individual as biologically female, lacking a Y-chromosome.
• mtDNA analysis confirmed a single-individual origin, with genetic affinity to present-day North Europeans.
• Strontium isotope analysis did not conclusively determine local or nonlocal origin.

Implications:

• The discovery of a female Viking warrior challenges traditional interpretations of gender roles and social hierarchies in the Viking Age.
• This finding necessitates a re-evaluation of assumptions about social orders and gender in past societies.
• It highlights the importance of scientific methods in resolving historical and archaeological debates.