Iron Age woman buried with knife stuck in her grave

Among the finds being examined by archaeologists at the burial ground in Pryssgården, Sweden is a woman's grave with a crooked knife stuck straight into it. The site is believed to date to between 500 BC–AD 400, and could contain up to 50 graves, including cremation pits and stone-covered burial sites. The burial ground was referenced in seventh-century texts by priest Ericus Hemengius, who described seeing the burial mounds and hills near Prästegården from his window. Initial clues emerged during a preliminary investigation by archaeologists when human bone fragments and Iron Age artefacts, including fibulae (brooches for attaching cloaks) and a costume pin, were uncovered. One grave revealed heavy soot layers and a knife driven into the soil, suggesting ritualistic practices. The deceased may have suffered from osteoarthritis, as evidenced…

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Ancient Warfare (Digital) - 1 Issue, AW XVII.6

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