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Revision as of 20:57, 2 November 2016
This list of burials is currently a work in progress. More information will be added over time but it is hoped that even the meager information supplied here will be of some use. Any list of Viking burials is going to be open to discussion. Many of these burials were discovered in the 19th century, long before modern archaeological practices came into use.
The map is derived from Richards [RICHARDS 2004:p.191] Graham-Campbell [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 1994:p.134, 153] and from a map displayed from a Jorvik exhibition in York 2012.
Viking burials found in Scotland
Viking burials found in the Isle of Man
Status
The reliability of pagan graves varies. The 'Status' rating gives an indication of the current thinking relating to the finds reliability.
Accepted (A)
There is a good contemporary archaeological record of the find. Including a diagram of the grave and finds, etc.
Possible (P)
The contemporary archaeological record of the find is not as good but the grave goods would tend to indicate a pagan grave. The grave may be located in a mound or Church yard.
Discredited (D)
The argument in favour of this being a Viking grave has now been discredited although it has previously been published as such in the past. These are most probably just stray finds.
Index by County
Berkshire
Cambridgeshire
Cumberland
Cumbria
Derbyshire
|
Dorset
Hampshire
Essex
Lancashire
Lincolnshire
Norfolk
|
Northumberland
Nottinghamshire
Oxfordshire
Yorkshire |
List by Find Date
Torksey, Lincolnshire
- Find date- Mass burial. Excavated in 2011
- Bodies-
- Dated to- 872-873AD
- Grave goods-
- Publications-
- Part of a group of winter camp sites of the Great Heathen Army:
- Torksey 872-873AD
- Repton and Heath Wood, Ingleby 873-874AD
Weymouth, Dorset
- Find date- Mass burial. Excavated in 2009
- Bodies- up to 54 decapitated males
- Dated to- 970-1025AD
- Grave goods- None
- Publications-
Cumwhitton, Cumbria
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- Excavated in 2004
- Bodies- 4 men and 2 women
- Dated to- AD 900-950
- Grave goods-
- Grave 1. Female
- 2 oval brooches- type P51
- 1 glass bead (near skull)
- small knife and iron key (near waist)
- iron-bound wooden box - containing:
- lead spindle whorl, glass linen smoother, shears, antler comb, sewing needle, possible metal needle case
- Grave 2. Female
- belt: buckle with plate - tinned copper alloy, and strap end - copper alloy. (near waist). Traces of seal pelt found between the plates.
- necklace: 6 glass beads, 1 chain-link - copper alloy. 2 other beads were also found any may have belonged to the necklace.
- finger ring - oil-shale
- arm ring - oil-shale
- chain-link - copper alloy (near waist). Possibly part of a suspension strap for a drinking horn along with the other chain-link identified as also being part of the necklace (Paterson 2014, p.72)
- drinking horn mount - copper alloy and fragments of horn.
- sickle, shears, antler comb (found together)
- Grave 3. Male
- ringed pin
- 6 glass beads, 1 amber bead, 2 silver finger rings, 1 silver suspension loop (near neck). May have been in a bag or a necklace
- sword - type U
- knife
- folding knife (near waist)
- whetstone (near waist)
- 2 buckles and strap slides (near foot). For spurs
- Grave 4. Male
- belt: buckle with plate - copper alloy, and strap end - copper alloy
- ringed pin
- glass bead
- sword - type L. remains of scabbard including traces of a small buckle
- spearhead - type K, with part of wooden shaft - ash
- axehead - type E, part of haft - boxwood. possibly butt hafted
- shield boss - R564/R562, estimated 80-95cm shield diameter
- possible strike-a-light
- knife
- Grave 5. Male
- buckle with plate - copper alloy, and strap end - copper alloy
- pair of iron prick spurs, with attached plates. Also with an associated buckle and strap guide.
- a glass bead and an amber bead (near neck)
- sword - type X, and scabbard - sheep lined, poplar or willow wood lathes, covered in leather
- 2 strap ends - possibly part of a sword baldric or possibly a 'peace tie'.
- spear - Type K
- Seax with a silver inlaid horn handle and some traces of the leather sheath, along with copper-alloy binding strips
- drinking horn rim mount (near head)
- folding knife
- flints, a silver coin, a glass disc, a knife, and a ringed pin (near left hip). possibly all in a pouch
- iron chain
- Grave 6. Male
- buckle with plate - copper alloy
- spearhead - type G but with a longer socket and no mid rib
- knife with horn handle
- from the plough soil
- oval brooch - maybe belonging to grave 2
- buckle - copper alloy - maybe belonging to grave 1
- ringed pin - copper alloy - maybe belonging to grave 6, or even graves 1 or 2
- large amber annular bead
- 4 glass beads
- sword - type L - maybe belonging to grave 6
- spearhead - too damaged to type
- spearhead - type I
- spearhead - possibly a type G
- possible seax
- key - copper alloy
- possible antler comb
- possible folding knife
- possible folding knife
- knife blade
- spur fragments
- buckle - iron
- Grave 1. Female
- Publications-
Adwick-le-Street, South Yorkshire
- Find date- Excavated in 2001
- Bodies- Viking Woman.
- Dated to- C9th
- Grave goods-
- Copper-alloy Bowl
- Pair of non-identical oval brooches. Both Petersen type P37.
- Hangerock. Textile remains preserved on the rears of the oval brooches and on the knife have been identified as z-spun tabby weave made from plant fibre (linen). In addition a number of thin linen strips (4mm wide) were found around the pins of the brooches. It appears that there was a pair of loops at the base of the brooch and a single loop at the top.
- Iron key; iron knife
- Publications-
Heath Wood, Ingleby, Derbyshire
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- Excavated 3 times, 1855; 1941-1949; 1998-2000AD
- Bodies- Male warrior cremation burials; other cremation burials and mounds.
- Dated to- 873-878AD
- Grave goods-
- Swords
- buckles
- Publications-
- Part of a group of winter camp sites of the Great Heathen Army:
- Torksey 872-873AD
- Repton and Heath Wood, Ingleby 873-874AD
Sedgeford, Norfolk
- Status- Possible
- Find date- 1997
- Bodies- Woman and a horse found in Christian graveyard
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods- None
- Publications-
Carlisle Cathedral, Cumbria
- Find date- 1988
- Bodies-
- Dated to-
- Grave goods-
- Buckles
- Strap ends
- small whetstone
- Publications-
Repton, Derbyshire
- Find date- Excavated between 1974-1988AD
- Bodies- Male warrior burial; Female burial; another single male burial and 2 double burials.
- Dated to- 873-874AD
- Grave goods-
- Thors hammer
- sword and scabbard
- buckles
- iron knives (one a folding knife
- Publications-
- Biddle, Martin and Birthe Kjølbye-Biddle (2001) Repton and the great heathen army, 873-4. In Graham-Campbell, James; Hall, Richard; Jesch, Judith and Parsons, David N. (eds.) (2001) Vikings and the Danelaw. Select Papers from the Proceedings of the Thirteenth Viking Congress. Viking Congress: 13 pp.55-92
- Part of a group of winter camp sites of the Great Heathen Army:
- Torksey 872-873AD
- Repton and Heath Wood, Ingleby 873-874AD
Middle Harling, Norfolk
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1986
- Bodies- Man
- Dated to- late 9th / early 10th [MARGESON 1997]. Graham suggests that it may possibly date later based on the copper alloy buckle [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001]
- Grave goods-
- 4 knives. One (possibly two?) with a pivoting blade.
- Whetstone
- Spur. found by the right foot.
- Brass buckle with iron plate, rectangular. found at the waist and from a belt.
- Iron buckle, D shaped. found by the left knee.
- Ear scoop. copper alloy. found in the filling 11cm above the grave.
- Publications-
Waltham Abbey, Essex
- Status- Discredited
- Find date- 1985-1991
- Bodies- Man
- Dated to- late 10th / early 11th
- Grave goods-
- decorated copper alloy plate. Now identified as a stirrup mount.
- Publications-
- Hall 2004? p.205
Wensley Churchyard, Yorks
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1967
- Bodies- Male, found in a churchyard
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods- (British Museum)
- Sword Petersen type L
- Spearhead
- Sickle blade, iron
- Knife
- Publications-
Sonning, Berkshire
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1966
- Bodies- 2 Male skeletons
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods-
- Sword
- Knife
- Bronze ringed pin, with a missing ring.
- 6 arrow heads
- unidentified iron strip?
- Discussion- The grave goods for the two skeletons are listed together and it is now not possible to determine what items were originally associated with what skeleton.
- Publications-
Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire
- Status- Possible
- Find date- ?
- Bodies- ?
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods-
- Seax 'late Anglo-Saxon'
- Knife, possibly saxon.
- Discussion- Considered very possible.
- Publications-
Gooderstone, Norfolk
- Status- Discredited
- Find date- 1957
- Bodies- ? found by ploughing
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods-
- Sword fragment
- Discussion- Graham-Campbell states that this find should be removed from all location maps of Viking graves as has already been done by Richards [RICHARDS 2004].
- Publications-
Thetford, Norfolk
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1953
- Bodies- 2 burials
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods- First Grave
- Sword 'late Anglo-saxon'. Possibly ritually killed. [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001:p.112]
- Grave goods- Second Grave
- Spear, fragmentary. [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001:p.112]
- Knife (now lost)
- Publications-
- Norwich-Sword Thetford.jpg
- Norwich-Sword Thetford hilt.jpg
Rampside, Lancashire
- Status- Possible
- Find date- 1909?
- Bodies- None, found in a churchyard
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods- (Municipal Museum, Barrow-in-Furness)
- Sword Petersen type M
- Publications-
Workington, Cumberland
- Status- Possible
- Find date- 1902-1903
- Bodies- None
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods-
- Sword Petersen type W or X possibly still in its scabbard.
- Publications-
- Edwards, B. J. N. 'The West Seaton Viking Sword' (Not available to the authors)
Witherslack, Cumberland
- Status- Possible
- Find date- 1901
- Bodies- None
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods-
- Sword
- Publications-
Walthamstow, Essex
- Status- Discredited
- Find date- 1900AD - possible Viking ship
- Bodies- a skeleton (skull) was said to have been found under a 40' overturned ship
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods-
- Sword, now in Rome.
- Discussion- Also known as Enfield. The boat is probably dated to the C16th or C17th. Also the sword and skull were not originally associated with the boat or even possibly with each other. Another sword was also found at Enfield. [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 2001:p.113]
- Publications-
West Ham nr. Basingstoke, Hampshire
- Status- Discredited
- Find date- 1899AD
- Bodies- a skeleton was found under the possible ship
- Dated to- Dated to Viking Age (C9th ?) by Bjorn and Shetelig but previously dated to the Anglo-Saxon period.
- Grave goods-
- Knife, Spear, lance heads
- bronze bowl, iron bowl with handle
- draughtsmen (stained green by contact with bronze)
- Publications-
Ormside, Appleby-in-Westmoreland, Cumbria
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1898, 1973?
- Bodies- a skeleton
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods 1898 - (Tullie House Museum)
- Sword Petersen type M
- Shield Boss
- Frag. iron rod
- small iron knife (now lost)
- Grave goods 1973? -
- Silver bowl from a possible 2nd grave [RICHARDS 2004:p.202]
- Publications-
Farndon, Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire
- Status- Possible
- Find date- 1892
- Bodies- disturbed grave from a grave yard?
- Dated to- C10th?
- Grave goods-
- Sword of Petersen type X
- Publications-
Leigh-on-sea, Essex
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1890
- Bodies- skeleton and horse
- Dated to- ?
- Grave goods-
- Sword
- Publications-
Inskip, Lancashire
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1889AD
- Bodies-
- Dated to-
- Grave goods-
- Sword
- Publications-
River Cherwell at Magdalen Bridge, Oxfordshire
- Status- Discredited
- Find date- 1884AD
- Bodies- Men and horse skeletons found by dredging
- Dated to- C9th by Stirrup style
- Grave goods- (Ashmolean Museum 1886, 443-47)
- Spearhead, shield boss
- Shears
- Horseshoe, spur
- Publications-
England, Essex: Saffron Walden
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- AD 1876
- Bodies- Female
- Dated to- c.900
- Museum- Saffron Walden
- Publications-
- Grave goods
- Necklace of 2 silver pendants - 2 carnelian, 2 glass and 2 crystal beads.
- Knife (LOST)
England, Yorkshire: Bedale
Category:England, Yorkshire: Bedale
England, Norfolk: Santon Downham
- Status- Accepted
- Type-
- Find date- 1867
- Bodies- based on the grave goods this might be a double interment, male and female.
- Dated to- C10th
- Museum-British Museum
- Discussion- Richards has proposed that it may not be a double burial and that the brooches may have instead been an offering like the pair from Claughton Hall. [Richards 2004]:p.205
- Publications-
- Grave goods
- Sword Petersen type L
- Oval brooches (Pair) of type Rygh 652-654. Petersen type P51a. [Bjorn & Shetelig 1940]:p.12, fig.1
England, Northumberland: Cambois
Category:England, Northumberland: Cambois
England, Nottinghamshire: Nottingham
- Status- Possible
- Type-
- Find date- 1851
- Bodies- Possibly burial of 2 Male warriors. 2 skulls and other human remains
- Dated to- Graham-Campbell quotes Hall's proposed post AD 918 date based on the 2 swords.
- Museum- British Museum Tr. 158
- Discussion- Evison has confirmed the sword as a later type Y and not a type L as it appears in the picture [Graham-Campbell 2001]:p.106. Graham-Campbell notes that there is no evidence that the two swords were actually found with the spear [Graham-Campbell 2001]:p.106 and suggests that this explains the possible discrepancy of the sword's later C10th / C11th topological dating to the spears earlier C9th traditional dating. I would suggest that the cut off date for the Petersen type C-D spearhead is too early and that Ottonian manuscripts dating to the early C11th still show this type of spear in use. This would help support a C10th century date for the two graves.
- Publications-
- Archaeological Journal, 1851, vol 8, pp 424-5 (Available Online)
- Grave goods
England, Oxfordshire: Hook Norton
- Status- Accepted
- Type-
- Find date- AD 1848
- Bodies- 2 skeletons, one from a mound and the other with a coin hoard.
- Dated to- C9th
- Museum-
- Publications-
- Grave goods
- Coin hoard c.875AD or a bit later.
England, Berkshire: Reading
- Status- Accepted
- Type-
- Find date- June 1831.
- Bodies- Male warrior burial with a horse skeleton
- Dated to- ?
- Museum-
- Publications-
- Grave goods
- Sword with ivory hilt.
England, Lancashire: Claughton Hall
- Status- Accepted
- Find date- 1822
- Bodies- Male skeleton
- Dated to- ?
- Museum- Claughton Hall
- Comments- The items were said to have been found in a wooden chest
- Publications-
- Grave goods
England, Cumbria: Hesket-in-the-Forest
- Status- Accepted [Paterson 2014] [Richards 2004] [Wilson 1976]
- Type- Possible Cremation?
- Find date- 1822
- Bodies- None, cremation?
- Dated to- c.900-925 [Paterson 2014]:p.172
- Museum- Tullie House Museum
- Discussion- The weapons were deliberately damaged.
- Publications-
- Grave goods
- Sword Petersen type O [Paterson 2014]:p.172-173
- Spearhead Petersen type I [Paterson 2014]:p.172-173
- Spearhead Petersen type I/F [Paterson 2014]:p.172-173
- Shield Boss (broken in two)
- Axe Petersen type E [Paterson 2014]:p.172-173
- Iron Bit plated in bronze
- Two Buckles (one with a buckle plate) - part of the bridle set [Paterson 2014]:p.163
- Sickle, Wet stone
- Bone Comb and Bone Case
- Pair of Spurs (LOST)
England, Cumbria: Eaglesfield
- Status- Accepted [Richards 2004]:p.193 [Wilson 1976]:p.394 Possible [Edwards 1992]
- Type- Mound Burial [Richards 2004]:p.193
- Find date- 1814
- Bodies- Male skeleton
- Dated to- ?
- Museum- Black Gate Museum, Newcastle upon Tyne
- Publications-
- Grave goods
- Sword
- Axe or Spear (LOST). Oiginally described as a halbard 11" long. Cowen and Edwards both suggests that it might have been a spear? [Cowen 1948] [Edwards 1998]:p.19
- Fibula? (LOST) - L:5" Ring-headed pin?
England, Lancashire: Heysham
Grave St. Peter's
- Status- Accepted [Richards 2004]:p.202 [Wilson 1976]:p.394
- Type- Churchyard Burial
- Find date- excavated in 1800
- Bodies- Male
- Dated to- C10th
- Museum-
- Publications-
- Grave goods-
- Spearhead (LOST) - unknown type
- Hogback stone
Grave St Patrick 63
- Status- Accepted [Richards 2004]:p.202 [Potter & Andrews 1994]
- Type- Churchyard Burial
- Find date- excavated in April 1977 & March/April 1978
- Bodies- Female
- Dated to- C10th
- Museum-
- Publications-
- Grave goods-
- Bone comb
England, Cumbria: Aspatria
1789 Excavation
- Status- Accepted [Paterson 2014] [Edwards 1992] [Wilson 1976]
- Type- Burial
- Find date- excavated in 1789 [Edwards 1992]
- Bodies- None, Male?
- Dated to- late C9th to early C10th [Paterson 2014]:p.172-173
- Museum-
- Comments- The area was re-investigated in 1997.
- Publications-
- Grave goods-
- Sword (LOST) - with a silver encrusted hilt
- Spearhead (LOST) - with a decorated silver socket
- Axe (LOST) - Petersen Type E? [Paterson 2014]:p.172-173
- Shield (LOST) - pieces?
- Buckle (LOST) - gold
- Strap-end (LOST) - Carolingian
- Horse bit (LOST) - iron
- Spur (LOST)
1997 Excavation
- Status- Accepted [Abramson 2000]
- Type- Burial
- Find date- excavated in 1789 [Edwards 1992]
- Bodies- 2 fragments of a tibial bone, female?
- Dated to-
- Museum-
- Comments- Probably from the same grave excavated in 1789
- Publications-
- Grave goods-
- Ringed pin - copper-alloy
- Buckle, buckle-plate & strap guide - iron
- Folding knife -
- Spur? -
- Axe head - Upper part with wood still in the shaft hole. Possibly the missing part of the axe found in 1789.
References
- Pages with broken file links
- Found in Britain
- 2 Stars
- Paterson 2014
- Speed, Greg & Walton Rogers 2004
- Richards 1995
- Richards 2004B
- Richards 2004
- Owen & Dalland 1999
- Graham-Campbell 2001
- Biddle & Kjolbye-Biddle 1992
- Biddle & Kjolbye-Biddle 2001
- Margeson 1997
- Roesdahl 1981
- Wilson 1976
- Bjorn & Shetelig 1940
- Edwards 1998
- Seaby 1950
- Blair & Crawford 1997
- Evison 1969
- Roesdahl & Wilson 1992
- British Museum
- Biddle & Blair 1987
- East 1986
- Jones 1849
- Kendrick 1935
- Edwards 1969
- Edwards 1992
- Hodgson 1832
- Cowen 1948
- Tullie House Museum
- Cowen 1967
- Potter & Andrews 1994
- Rooke 1792
- Abramson 2000
- Cowan 1948
- Graham-Campbell 1994
- Burials
- Sites