Archaeologists found the bodies
of 54 men who had all been decapitated and placed in shallow graves with their
heads piled up to one side. Carbon
dating revealed that the bodies were from the 11th century, which gave the
first hint that the bodies might be linked to the Vikings.
At this time Anglo-Saxons on the south coast of England were under constant threat from Nordic attack. Isotope tests on the teeth of the men revealed they came from Scandinavia.
Dr Britt Baillie, from the University of Cambridge, said that she believed they belonged to a group of violent Viking killers who modelled themselves on a legendary group of mercenaries founded by Harald Bluetooth and based at Jomsborg on the Baltic coast – the Jomsvikings. The Jomsvikings had strict military codes about not showing fear and never fleeing in the face of the enemy except when completely outnumbered.
At this time Anglo-Saxons on the south coast of England were under constant threat from Nordic attack. Isotope tests on the teeth of the men revealed they came from Scandinavia.
Dr Britt Baillie, from the University of Cambridge, said that she believed they belonged to a group of violent Viking killers who modelled themselves on a legendary group of mercenaries founded by Harald Bluetooth and based at Jomsborg on the Baltic coast – the Jomsvikings. The Jomsvikings had strict military codes about not showing fear and never fleeing in the face of the enemy except when completely outnumbered.