Viking woman had roots near the Black Sea

www.aftenposten.no ^ | 26 Mar 2007, 16:12 | Aftenposten's reporter Cato Guhnfeld - Aftenposten English Web Desk Nina Berglund

[Kurt_Hectic]

The bones of one of the women found in one of Norway's most famous Viking graves suggest her ancestors came from the area around the Black Sea.

The woman herself was "Norwegian," claims Professor Per Holck at the University of Oslo, who has conducted analyses of DNA material taken from her bones.

But Holck says that while she came from the area that today is Norway, her forefathers may have lived in the Black Sea region.

Holck, attached to the anthropological division of the university's anatomy institute (Anatomisk institutt), isn't willing to reveal more details pending publication of an article in the British magazine "European Archaeology" later this year.

He told newspaper Aftenposten, though, that he's recommending the woman's bones be retrieved for further study. They were first found in 1904, when the Oseberg Viking ship was excavated, and analysed by the university.

The analysis data was withheld, however, and the woman's remains were returned to the Oseberg burial mound in 1947. Holck has only worked with the DNA extracted at the time, and he thinks they should be reexamined.

He worries, however, that her bones may have been damaged during the past 60 years. If the remains are intact, he said, it would probably be possible to take more DNA tests that could reveal more about the woman and another female's bones also extracted from the Oseberg site.

Related stories: New Viking treasures found - 08.01.2007 Vestfold wants Viking ships - 28.12.2006 Viking ships bound for new waterfront museum - 20.12.2006 Sensational Viking find - 30.10.2006 Viking ship found in Larvik - 17.10.2006 Viking ships on the move - 16.10.2006 Viking find in Østfold - 06.09.2006

[Kurt_Hectic]

According to the late adventurer/anthropologist Thor Heyerdahl, the Odin cult was introduced in Scandinavia by a tribe who came from the Caucasus area. There was probably a lot of migration at that time, as it is today...

[GoLightly]

Ping

[Yo-Yo]

Mail order Russian brides way back then?

[Fractal Trader]

ggg ping

[colorado tanker]

The Russian river systems provided a major trade route between Scandinavia and the Mediterranean world.

[Thombo2]

I'll bet she looked like Red Sonja.Pics?

[LexBaird]

Not too surprising, considering the origin of the Rus and the Varangians. Plenty of interchange between the Black Sea area and Scandinavia.

[blam]

GGG Ping.

Thanks Kurt...Good Article.

I just got the results back from my DNA test and I'm in haplogroup R1b. 90% of the people in Ireland belong to this haplogroup.

I suppose I'll stop calling myself a WASP, lol.

[blam]

Viking Longships' Last Voyage Strikes Fear Into The Heart Of Archaeologists

Oseburg Ship

[GoLightly]

Know the era (date) of this "Viking" woman? (I was kinda waiting for SunkenCiv's likely related links, cuz he always seems to be able to pull up good stuff from his archives that help to round out info in newer articles.) There was a lot of migration in all directions.

http://www.friesian.com/germania.htm#early

[blam]

New Viking Treasures Found

[Dysart]

You'll need to see the webmaster about a screen name change:

O'Blam

[blam]

Siberian Graveyard's Secret (More Redheads)

[LIConFem]

Viking women had black roots? Haven't they ever heard of touch-ups?

[ken21]

kewl!

[blam]

"You'll need to see the webmaster about a screen name change: O'Blam."

LOL. Maybe not. My family name is Lamb = blam.

[blam]

I'll have to change from WASP to AMH (Atlantic Modal Haplotype)...shoot, my father's 'people' may have even been in Ireland during the LGM(Last Glacial Maximum), 18-23,000 years ago.

I won't have my mtDNA (female) for about another month.

[savedbygrace]

A Viking with Black roots? Hmmmmmmmm . . . .

[ozzymandus]

The Vikings founded modern Russia, and fought as mercenaries for Constantinople. Those guys really got around.

[GoLightly]

I won't have my mtDNA (female) for about another month.

Any predictions?

I've considered having mine done too, but I think I'd be limited to the mtDNA test, which I know is from an area that the Prussians (Germans) & Poles (Slavs) were at odds about for like, forever.