Free Republic

Archaeologists working in Trondheim in Norway are amazed by the discovery of a human skeleton in the bottom of an abandoned castle well. The skeleton provides evidence that confirms dramatic historical events mentioned in the Sagas. The location and contents of the well are mentioned in Sverre's Saga, a chronicle of one of the kings of Norway, and one of very few historical manuscripts describing events in the Norwegian Viking age and medieval period. Scholars have questioned the chronicle's trustworthiness as a historical document. But now, at least one part of the saga seems to hold truth -- down to...

Archaeologists were recently able to confirm an 800-year-old tale of medieval biological warfare. The Norwegian historical chronicle Sverris saga tells the story of an attack that involved a corpse hurled down a well in order to poison the local water supply. Scholars long debated the veracity of the story, but a team of archaeologists used DNA analysis to confirm that a corpse found at the site was indeed the much-discussed “Well Man.