Ulla MOILANEN
(University of Turku, Finland)
Keywords: ship burial, mass grave, warrior-ideology, mythology
Abstract:
Salme II ship burial was found in Estonia in 2010, and excavated in the following two years. The excavation revealed a mass grave of over 30 males buried in the ship, equipped with swords, shields, and falcons. The bones of the individuals showed signs of battle injuries and violent deaths. The dating of the burial is early 8th century AD, which makes it a remarkable example of a Pre-Viking Age warrior burial. The presentation examines the burial in a wider context, and compares it to other Nordic ship burials, with a special reference to other ship burials that have contained skeletons with battle traumas. Because of the number of individuals, Salme II is very different from other previously known ship burials. The aim of the presentation is to show how the burial is linked to complex beliefs in Nordic cosmology. It is suggested the Salme II burial manifests heroized warrior ideology, and bears an example of how the manner of death might have affected the status and roles of the deceased, and thus have a strong impact on the choices of funerary practices. The elements behind a mass burial, and general variations in ship burial customs are also being discussed.