Just as contemporary osteological and isotopic analyses have elucidated the female-sexed identity of the Birka warrior burial, the rare existence of female warriors extends to temporally analogous cultures, such as in early medieval Finland. While male warriors were exceedingly common, a burial dated 1050-1300 AD and found in Suontaka Vesitornimäki, Finland, seems to depict a female warrior. The grave contains several dress accessories, including two oval brooches with residual textile material, a twin-spiral chain-bearer, and a penannular brooch. Interestingly, the grave also features two swords—one that is bronze-hilted, as well as a hiltless sword blade. The hilted bronze sword will be the subject of close analysis discussed here.
The bronze hilted sword was the first object identified from the Suontaka Vesitorninmäki grave. After analyzing a femur fragment of the skeleton within this grave, radiocarbon dating placed the sword and burial in the range 1040–1174 CE. However, it is believed that the sword was not a part of the original burial. The entirety of is hollow cast bronze, with a combined inscription of “NIOIN” and “NMIN” on either side of the blade, thought to be representative of “IN NOMINE DOMINI.” The inlays of the blade are believed to be constructed from plain steel or straight-pattern welding but have undergone extensive corrosion from the time of initial burial. One of the most fascinating aspects of the sword is the decoration that cover the entirety of its hilt, consisting of several symmetrical snake-like beasts. Due to the jewelry, clothing, and textile material, and specifically, the quality of the bronze-hilted sword present within the burial, original surveys believed this burial to be of a warrior woman—which was further corroborated by several bioarcheological analyses.
In a recent study of the burial, Moilanen et al. (2022) conducted extensive dating analysis. From an analysis of ancient DNA (aDNA), the researchers found that the body matched neither an XX (female) nor an XY (male) chromosomal sex profile. Using a novel sequencing procedure, the researchers instead determined that the Suontaka body matched the genetic profile of XXY chromosomal sex—otherwise known as a male with Klinefelter syndrome, and potentially associated with several physical phenotypical and developmental differences from a typical XY male. While not strictly a finding of the Viking Age, the Suontarka burial provides a rare opportunity to challenge our pre-existing notions of gender in antiquity and identifies an analog between the Birka female Viking warrior and the Finish Suontaka burial warrior.
Burial at Suontaka, FN.
Grave plan.
(source: Moilanen et al.)
Burial at Suontaka, FN.
Excavated finds.
(source: Moilanen et al.)
« Previous | Home | Next »
