Tuesday, February 11, 2025

DNA Reveals ‘Well Man’ Skeleton Linked to 800-Year-Old Norwegian Saga

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The complete skeletal remains of the “Well Man”

Age Hojem, NTNU University Museum

A Norwegian saga from over 800 years ago recounts the tale of a man believed to have been tossed into a castle well. Researchers now think they might have uncovered his remains. The Sverris saga, an Old Norse text, chronicles King Sverre Sigurdsson’s rise in the 12th century AD and describes how a rival clan allegedly threw a deceased man into the castle well, potentially as an early act of biological warfare.

In 1938, archaeologists discovered a skeleton in this medieval well at Sverresborg castle; many believed it belonged to the “Well Man” from the saga, but verification was not possible then. However, using radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis on a tooth from the skeleton, Anna Petersén and her colleagues have associated the man’s lifespan with the timeline of the castle’s attack.

The researchers also gleaned new details, revealing that he likely had blue eyes and light hair, indicating his ancestry may trace back to southern Norway. While there’s no evidence supporting the theory that he was tossed into the well due to a disease, this question remains unresolved. “This research sheds light on the confluence of history and genetics,” notes Michael Martin, emphasizing its potential to transform our understanding of former royal families and individuals from antiquity.

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Vocabulary List:

  1. Chronicles /ˈkrɒnɪkəlz/ (verb): Records or narrates a series of events.
  2. Associated /əˈsoʊsieɪtɪd/ (verb): Connected or linked to something else.
  3. Verification /ˌvɛrifɪˈkeɪʃən/ (noun): The process of establishing the truth or validity of something.
  4. Gleaned /ɡliːnd/ (verb): Collected information or knowledge gradually.
  5. Ancestry /ˈæn.ses.tri/ (noun): The lineage or hereditary line of a person or family.
  6. Confluence /ˈkɒnfluəns/ (noun): The act of merging or coming together.

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