MASS GRAVE IN SOUTHERN ENGLAND CONFIRMED TO CONTAIN EXECUTED VIKINGS

Fifty bodies discovered in a burial pit last year in Dorset, England, have been identified as executed Vikings. The find dates to between 910 and 1030 AD. Researchers were able to identify the victims as Scandinavian based on isotopes taken from teeth, with one man possibly originating north of the Arctic Circle.

"Any mass grave is a relatively rare find, but to find one on this scale, from this period of history, is extremely unusual and presents an incredible opportunity to learn more about what is happening in Dorset at this time,” said project manager David Score, who is with Oxford Archaeology.

Further tests are planned to hopefully develop an understanding of the diets, lifestyles, and demographic makeup of the Norse warriors.

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