Archaeologists in Sweden have discovered 50 graves at an Iron Age burial site, with one of the graves standing out because of an unusual feature. The grave had been “stabbed” with a knife, prompting questions about the significance of this act.
Archaeologists were previously unaware of the existence of this land. Historical documents from 1667 mentioned that Swedish priests discovered ancient remains in the area, but no investigation was carried out to confirm this.
Archaeologists from the National History Museums set out to explore the area without any real certainty that they would discover anything important. What they found exceeded their wildest expectations: an Iron Age cemetery that puzzled them.
An unusual Iron Age cemetery
When they began digging at the site in Pryssgården, Sweden, they first discovered a human bone, fragments of two skulls, costume buckles and a costume pin.
As part of a new excavation project, archaeologists suspect that some graves may predate the Iron Age, although they are still in the process of determining the chronology of the site.
Some pits revealed no bones, while others contained cremated remains, reflecting the common practice of burning the dead at the stake at the time. In one pit, they found a burnt tombstone and even a small millstone, used to crush wheat or grain.
A funeral ritual
Digging through tons of soot and a thick layer of fire, they saw the most unusual sight. Someone stuck an iron knife straight into the grave of an Iron Age woman whose bones showed she had arthritis.
The knife was most likely used for skin preparation.
However intriguing and unexpected, the grave at Fiskeby exhibits similar characteristics. It also appears that the dead carried knives and needles with them to the afterlife, as this woman did, along with a needle, perhaps indicating a burial ritual, he writes InterestingEngineering.
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Source: www.descopera.ro
