You're an inspiration to all of us, Judith!

Lots here for Viking folks - new aDNA evidence for several infectious diseases among Viking-Age populations in Scandinavia, including malaria, leprosy and louse-borne relapsing fever.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

It's a good question. They did both. They traded in some items (furs, slaves, swords), but I would argue that you can't really 'trade' in people: a slave trace involves coercion. They also launched out-and-out raids e.g. over the Caspian, which were akin to their raids in Western Europe.

Thank you! And, I think so too.

A piece in The Conversation, contextualising our results from the Bedale hoard

theconversation.com/vikings-were...

@unioxarchaeology.bsky.social @yorkmuseumstrust.bsky.social @bgs.ac.uk

Thanks so much Simon!

Thanks Trix!

I was just there!

www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-08...

Pleased that this is now out! See the Bedale hoard as part of the Viking North exhibition at York Museum.

@yorkmuseumstrust.bsky.social @unioxarchaeology.bsky.social

Can't wait to hear more about the wooden box/casket - amazing!

Wonderful news!

I love this one, and the Hawes museum! Great displays on lead mining and butter making too.

Super, thanks Tom. That's such an interesting thought, and is plausible in the (postulated) historical context. Those individuals have been analysed from a lot of different angles now - I'll need to put everything together!

Thanks Adrian, great post! My take-away was that the St John's burials looked quite Danish (with interesting central European ancestry that is also seen in Dk), but the Ridgeway burials had more British ancestry, which is unexpected. Have I got that right? @boothicus.bsky.social

Islamic Archaeology Day 2025

The 9th annual Islamic Archaeology Day, co-organised by @soasuni.bsky.social & @uclofficial.bsky.social will be held at the IoA on Saturday 1 February.

Read more & buy tickets here:

📲 bit.ly/41JJE4X

#LocalAndGlobal

#ThinkDifferentlyThinkArchaeology