The high-ranking female Viking Shield-Maiden found in Birka

Scandinavian literature is rife with tales of heroic warrior women fighting for the honour of their land and families. Yet, most people’s preconception of the Vikings typically still only involves hoards of rampaging, wild men; what most of us don’t consider is the role that women played in the relatively sophisticated culture. 

Whether or not Scandinavian women were permitted the same stature in combat as men has been heavily debated throughout the years. However, the discovery of one particular combatant’s grave lends support to the concept of Viking Shield-Maidens, who likely stood shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. Perhaps folklore is more close to fact instead of fiction in this circumstance. 

What was found at Birka?

In the 8th and 9th centuries, the town of Birka, Sweden, was considered to be the most prosperous city in Sweden and had a population of approximately 4000 people. This meant that the settlement was home to a wide range of craftsmen and traders, ranging from bronze casters and comb-makers, to travellers from far away countries. However, even though people travelled from distant lands to settle in Birka,  the majority of the colonisers in the town were Vikings. Therefore, it is unsurprising to learn that Birka was to become the focus of vested archaeological interest many centuries later. 

In the 1870s, during an archaeological dig led by Hojalmar Stolpe on a Viking site in Birka, a burial chamber was unearthed which went on to become known as one of the most iconic finds from the Viking era. Shielded by a large boulder and located on an elevated terrace, the gravesite was a treasure trove of significant Viking finds. 

In fact, it was clear that whoever was buried at Birka was not given an ordinary burial; they were kitted out for the afterlife with a range of weapons and goods.

The grave contained an axe, a sword, a spear, arrows, shields, knives, and even horses. Although horses were found in many graves in Birka, this was the only one that contained two - one of which was a mare.

Furthermore, the body was arranged astride a saddle and dressed in expensive silk robes which were threaded with silver. Based on these findings, it was presumed for approximately 128 years that the grave was that of a well-respected and battle-familiar man.  

However, it was noted that the human remains found in the grave didn’t seem overly masculine. Yet, the size and shapes of bones can vary according to a population, so further analysis was required to confirm suspicions that the body was that of a woman.

The High Ranking Birka Shield-maiden

An osteological inspection of the skeleton in the 1970s confirmed scientists’ speculations that the grave was that of a female who died at around 30 years of age. Furthermore, an analysis of the body’s isotopes determined that the individual shares similar markers to people from areas that are considered to have a strong Viking history. Thus, scientists were resolute that the gravesite at Birka contained the first known high-ranking female Viking combatant - a Shield-Maiden. 

Interestingly, continued excavation of the contents of the grave found a strategic game similar to chess. Archaeologists believe that the presence of this game demonstrates the Shield-Maiden’s battle prowess - she may have been skilled at strategising battle moves and leading her troops into combat. Furthermore, it was noted that very few warriors were buried with this type of game, so the Shield-Maiden may have been a highly regarded member of the military. 

Regardless of the strong evidence found in the grave at Birka, many scholars still debate that the grave belonged to a female warrior. One such argument against this school of thought poses the possibility that because the tomb was excavated so long ago, that bones from other graves may have ended up getting mixed in with the Shield-Maiden’s remains, or at the very least mislabelled over the past century.

However, seeing as Hojalmar Stolpe was notoriously diligent regarding his processes, it seems unlikely that this would be the case. Even so, it is also debated that the presence of the chess-like game as evidence of being a warrior is largely conjecture. It is possible that there may be a cultural bias regarding the reluctance to accept that the grave belonged to a female, as many Viking scholars are unwilling to credit the possibility that there may have been high-ranking female warriors. 

Despite these arguments to the contrary, it is still widely accepted that the grave at Birka belonged to a female warrior. This fact opens the door to many possible questions for how the Vikings functioned as a society and the role that females played within it. Inspirationally, instead of merely being fierce in mythology, it is entirely possible that the role of female Vikings was as indomitable in real life as the legends suggest. 

Although not much remains of Birka, you can still connect with your Viking heritage - if you want to know whether you have a DNA link with the Birka Shield-Maiden, then you can find out with My True Ancestry’s advanced technology.