United KingdomA study published in Science Advances challenges common assumptions about familial relationships in medieval Scandinavian burials. Researchers from Stockholm University analyzed DNA from 142 individuals, including many children and adolescents, buried in cemeteries across Sweden during the late Viking Age and Middle Ages. The findings indicate that close biological relatives were rarely buried together, suggesting that non-familial factors influenced burial practices. The study also revealed that children were often buried according to the same gender-based rules as adults, indicating early recognition of gender identity. Additionally, the research uncovered a notable extended family within the Västerhus cemetery, linking a woman known as Lady 56 to several relatives.
Bias read (Center): The article presents scientific findings from a study analyzing ancient DNA samples. It does not take a stance on political issues, nor does it frame the content with any ideological bias. The focus is purely on archaeological and genetic discoveries, which are apolitical in nature.
