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DNA Test Reveals Powerful Viking Warrior Was Actually A Woman

Rogue Valley

Rogue Valley

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DNA Test Reveals Powerful Viking Warrior Was Actually A Woman

Alanna Vagianos
September 11, 2017

A study of the skeletal remains of an influential Viking military leader ― who was long-assumed to be a man ― revealed that she is actually a woman. According to Swedish media outlet the Local, the remains were discovered and excavated from the Viking Age town of Birka in Sweden by Swedish archaeologist Hjalmar Stolpe at the end of the 19th century. Stolpe assumed the remains were male because the body was buried with warrior equipment and horses, the fashion in which many powerful military leaders of the Viking age were buried. “It’s actually a woman, somewhere over the age of 30 and fairly tall, too, measuring around [5 feet 6 inches] tall,” Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson, Uppsala University archeologist and lead author of the study that confirmed the remains were female, told The Local. “Aside from the complete warrior equipment buried along with her ― a sword, an axe, a spear, armor-piercing arrows, a battle knife, shields, and two horses ― she had a board game in her lap, or more of a war-planning game used to try out battle tactics and strategies, which indicates she was a powerful military leader,” Hedenstierna-Jonson said. “She’s most likely planned, led and taken part in battles.”

The study’s authors wrote that although it’s unusual to see a Viking woman in such a high-ranking military role, a large reason these facts were overlooked for so long is due to sexism in research methods. “Though some Viking women buried with weapons are known, a female warrior of this importance has never been determined and Viking scholars have been reluctant to acknowledge the agency of women with weapons,” the researchers wrote. “It was probably quite unusual (for a woman to be a military leader),” the researchers continued, “but in this case, it probably had more to do with her role in society and the family she was from, and that carrying more importance than her gender.”
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A very long time ago, exploring Viking tribes met and intermarried with local Slavic tribes on the steppes of Ukraine. This area was referred to as Scythia. In ancient Greek mythology (Herodotus), Scythia was the homeland of the female Amazon warriors. Today in central and eastern Ukraine, southern Russia, and Mongolia, there exist earthen mounds called "kurgans". The modern Turkish word kurgan means fortress or burial mound. The kurgan burials are ~50/50 male/female and I was fortunate to tour one such kurgan museum which when discovered contained the fairly well preserved remains of a female warrior (since removed), buried with her weapons (spears and crude battle axes) and two horses. There were also some small gold vessels which contained opiate residue which was probably used for rituals. Her necklace and anklets made of different color beads were on display, and the tour guide (not sure how he knew this) said this female had tattoo designs on her thighs. Interesting stuff.

Related: Genetic Analysis Offers First Strong Evidence of Female Viking Warriors
 
Jesse Booth said:
Weren't shield maidens already an established aspect of Norse history?
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Absolutely. And they were incredibly glorified. There is probably many more female warlords we dont know about. Not only do females have a right to defend themself via joining the military, but if used right could be a GREAT inspiration.
 
dirtpoorchris said:
Absolutely. And they were incredibly glorified. There is probably many more female warlords we dont know about. Not only do females have a right to defend themself via joining the military, but if used right could be a GREAT inspiration.
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Man, I wish Henrin were stillhere to lose his **** over this. :lol:
 
dirtpoorchris said:
Absolutely. And they were incredibly glorified. There is probably many more female warlords we dont know about. Not only do females have a right to defend themself via joining the military, but if used right could be a GREAT inspiration.
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Great inspiration is always good.
 
phattonez said:
Ugh, I can't believe that you would assume gender.
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I'm ashamed of myself as well, now that you have pointed out my problematic and oppressive behavior. I can only think how similar my assumptions are to those of the people that call me a retard for identifying as an attack helicopter.
 
Rogue Valley said:
DNA Test Reveals Powerful Viking Warrior Was Actually A Woman



A very long time ago, exploring Viking tribes met and intermarried with local Slavic tribes on the steppes of Ukraine. This area was referred to as Scythia. In ancient Greek mythology (Herodotus), Scythia was the homeland of the female Amazon warriors. Today in central and eastern Ukraine, southern Russia, and Mongolia, there exist earthen mounds called "kurgans". The modern Turkish word kurgan means fortress or burial mound. The kurgan burials are ~50/50 male/female and I was fortunate to tour one such kurgan museum which when discovered contained the fairly well preserved remains of a female warrior (since removed), buried with her weapons (spears and crude battle axes) and two horses. There were also some small gold vessels which contained opiate residue which was probably used for rituals. Her necklace and anklets made of different color beads were on display, and the tour guide (not sure how he knew this) said this female had tattoo designs on her thighs. Interesting stuff.

Related: Genetic Analysis Offers First Strong Evidence of Female Viking Warriors
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Was it Lagertha? ;)
Mulher-viking.jpg

Not mocking the thread by any means. I love viking history, and the Viking series.
 
Well lets be real here.. much of the history we know of today was "Christianised" over the centuries, so it is not surprising that female have been either written out of history or had a sex change or villainized.
 
I always point out that in China, one of the most famous, greatest warriors of all time, the inventor of wing chun, which is the counter for the shaolin animal fighting systems, was a chick.


And she could kick your ass with both hands tied behind her back.
 
joG said:
Great inspiration is always good.
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In the old Norse lands women, married or single, had unrestricted property ownership rights. More significant, I suggest, than the probably quite exceptional female warrior.
 
Sweden said:
In the old Norse lands women, married or single, had unrestricted property ownership rights. More significant, I suggest, than the probably quite exceptional female warrior.
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Such was the case in Spain as well, before the Romans conquered it.
 
Jesse Booth said:
I'm ashamed of myself as well, now that you have pointed out my problematic and oppressive behavior. I can only think how similar my assumptions are to those of the people that call me a retard for identifying as an attack helicopter.
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Yea I know. I have same problems when I identify as a Mk XXXIII Bolo. Its not easy being cheesy like me. :cool:
 
Rogue Valley said:
DNA Test Reveals Powerful Viking Warrior Was Actually A Woman



A very long time ago, exploring Viking tribes met and intermarried with local Slavic tribes on the steppes of Ukraine. This area was referred to as Scythia. In ancient Greek mythology (Herodotus), Scythia was the homeland of the female Amazon warriors. Today in central and eastern Ukraine, southern Russia, and Mongolia, there exist earthen mounds called "kurgans". The modern Turkish word kurgan means fortress or burial mound. The kurgan burials are ~50/50 male/female and I was fortunate to tour one such kurgan museum which when discovered contained the fairly well preserved remains of a female warrior (since removed), buried with her weapons (spears and crude battle axes) and two horses. There were also some small gold vessels which contained opiate residue which was probably used for rituals. Her necklace and anklets made of different color beads were on display, and the tour guide (not sure how he knew this) said this female had tattoo designs on her thighs. Interesting stuff.

Related: Genetic Analysis Offers First Strong Evidence of Female Viking Warriors
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Rogue Valley:

The women of the steppe kurgan so which you speak of were called "Oriopata" (man-killers) by the Greeks and were found in Skythian and Sarmatian tribes which moved westwards from modern-day China and Iran. In order to marry they had to first kill a man from an adversarial tribe in battle. They famously used polsoned and disease ridden fences-covered arrows and were feared by their foes for this. A more eastern group of Skythian cousins called the Saka had a tradition of important women wearing long pointed hats with brims around the base. These horse-mounted women, who were often powerful warriors, leaders, shamans or were believed to be imbued with magical powers are possibly the template for the witch riding the broom image which is so popular at Halloween. Wicca may be the source of the idea of witches but their image may very well have come from these horse riding women of the steppes.

Cheers.
Evilroddy.
 
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Jesse Booth said:
Such was the case in Spain as well, before the Romans conquered it.
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Unlike in Spain Christianity, which makes women inferior to men in every way, came late to the Nordic world and weakly. The pagan Jul continued to be Jul and never had the name of Christ attached to it. Women largely retained the rights enjoyed by their Viking predecessors. It is no accident that Sweden is to feminism what Saudi A is to Islam.

Sweden is now a post-Christian country. Churches are cherished - certainly by me - as part of our cultural heritage but few attend them for purposes of 'worship'.
 
Evilroddy said:
Wicca may be the source of the idea of witches but their image may very well have come from these horse riding women of the steppes.
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In the Zaporizhia region of southeastern Ukraine, the local Cossack men and women are excellent horse riders and they make extra money on the weekends demonstrating their equestrian skills. They are fantastic and fearless and do wondrous stunts worthy of your best Hollywood Western movies. After each show a Cossack hat is passed around for hryvnia/ruble (monetary) contributions. I was generous. They earned it.

Local lore says the ancient Scythian female warriors worshiped a deity they referred to as Mother Earth. In certain areas of [very] rural Ukraine and Belarus, people still celebrate pagan holidays. I was invited to one such holiday celebration with delicious food, strong cider, and much dancing. At night, teenage boys and girls hold hands and together leap through the flames of a huge roaring bonfire. Needless to say, a good time is had by all.
 
Rogue Valley said:
In the Zaporizhia region of southeastern Ukraine, the local Cossack men and women are excellent horse riders and they make extra money on the weekends demonstrating their equestrian skills. They are fantastic and fearless and do wondrous stunts worthy of your best Hollywood Western movies. After each show a Cossack hat is passed around for hryvnia/ruble (monetary) contributions. I was generous. They earned it.

Local lore says the ancient Scythian female warriors worshiped a deity they referred to as Mother Earth. In certain areas of [very] rural Ukraine and Belarus, people still celebrate pagan holidays. I was invited to one such holiday celebration with delicious food, strong cider, and much dancing. At night, teenage boys and girls hold hands and together leap through the flames of a huge roaring bonfire. Needless to say, a good time is had by all.
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Rogue Valley:

Getting in touch with your inner Cimmerian, I presume? Fine memories, indeed! Conan would be proud!

Cheers.
Evilroddy.
 
Jesse Booth said:
So all I have to do to be taken seriously, is to join a terrorist group like the Deceptions and get a big gun?
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So its not only men who can kick your butt but women too, dont forget that.
 
Evilroddy said:
Rogue Valley:

Getting in touch with your inner Cimmerian, I presume? Fine memories, indeed! Conan would be proud!

Cheers.
Evilroddy.
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Nothing so esoteric I'm afraid. I spent a number of years living in different cities of Ukraine and a year in Crimea. Visited Russia twice (Trans-Siberian Railway junkets), and took the liberty of numerous unofficial visits to Belarus.
 
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