Get this: one of the most famous Viking warriors ever discovered was buried with swords, axes, and two horses. For over 100 years, everyone assumed he was a dude. Plot twist: a DNA test in 2017 proved she was a WOMAN. 🤯
Yeah, you read that right. The legends are true. Shield-maidens weren't just characters in a TV show—they were real, and this discovery changes everything we thought we knew about the Vikings.
In the 1880s, archaeologists in Birka, Sweden, found a huge 10th-century grave. It was packed with a full set of weapons: a sword, an axe, a spear, armor-piercing arrows, and a battle knife. It even had two horses, a classic sign of a respected warrior.
For more than a century, this grave was literally the textbook example of a high-status male Viking warrior. No one even thought to question it. Why would they? It had all the classic warrior stuff.
Fast forward to the 2010s. An osteologist named Anna Kjellström was looking at the skeleton and was like, "um, guys?" The pelvic bones and jaw looked more female than male. But people were skeptical. Maybe the bones got mixed up over the years? It was a super old discovery, after all.
So, a team led by Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson decided to settle it once and for all. They ran a DNA test on a tooth and an arm bone. The results? The skeleton had two X chromosomes and zero Y chromosomes. It was definitively a woman. I know, right?!
But here’s the wildest part. This wasn’t just some random soldier. In her lap, they found a full set of gaming pieces. Archaeologists think this means she was a high-ranking military leader who planned battle strategy. A literal Viking queen commanding armies. 🗡️
She wasn't just fighting; she was in charge. This discovery proves that women could hold positions of serious power in Viking society, even on the battlefield. The old sagas that told stories of female warriors like Brynhildr weren't just myths—they were telling the truth.
This one grave completely shattered the old, boring idea of Viking men going off to fight while women stayed home. It shows us that history is way more complicated and interesting than we thought. And honestly? It's about time we recognized these warrior women for the legends they were. 🏛️
Famous Viking Warrior Was a Woman, DNA Reveals - National Geographic
This High-Ranking Viking Warrior Was a Woman - Smithsonian Magazine
A female Viking warrior confirmed by genomics - American Journal of Physical Anthropology
