Dozens of ‘exceptionally well-preserved’ Viking skeletons unearthed in Denmark: ‘Truly Unusual’

Fifty Viking skeletons discovered in Denmark over the last six months -- some with artifacts from outside the country -- show they traveled internationally for trade.

The skeletons were found in the Danish village of Åsum not far from Odense, Denmark, over the past six months and were buried with artifacts from outside the country, proving that they traveled internationally for trade, according to the museum. 

"The graves in Åsum are so well-preserved that it may be possible, for the first time, to conduct special aDNA analyses on most of the skeletons—meaning DNA analyses on ancient material," Sarah Croix, associate professor and PhD from the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies at Aarhus University, said in a statement. "It will be incredibly exciting to learn where these people came from and whether the same families were buried here across multiple generations."

High water levels and good soil conditions kept the skeletons from decomposing, Lundø said.