Abstract
When Vikings migrated to England they had an enormous impact on the Anglo-Saxon political system and settlement patterns. In this study, I explore the Viking’s cultural impact on the Anglo-Saxons. I hypothesize that Viking political dominance would also have led to cultural dominance in the Danelaw in England. I use a combination of processual and post processual approaches to look for markers of Viking culture in Anglo-Saxon burials.
I have chosen burial sites throughout the Danelaw as the study sample. The sites I will be using are (1) the cemetery at St. Peter’s Church in Barton-Upon-Humber in North Lincolnshire, (2) the cemetery at the York Minister in York, Yorkshire, and (3) the cemetery at Worcester Cathedral. Worcester was not technically under Viking rule, but the Viking rulers in the Danelaw placed the Worcester king on the throne there. For each site, I examine the layout of the graves, the orientation of the body, and the quality and quantity of the associated burial goods. In essence, this study examines the degree to which political authority influenced cultural borrowing and assimilation as reflected in funerary customs.
Advisor
Navarro-Farr, Olivia
Second Advisor
Hettinger, Madonna
Department
Archaeology; History
Recommended Citation
Libby, Kathryn Z., "If You Were Buried In A Ship, You Might Be A Viking: An Investigation of Scandinavian Influence Over Anglo-Saxon Identity in Mortuary Practices" (2014). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 5819.
https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/5819
Disciplines
Archaeological Anthropology | European History | Medieval History | Scandinavian Studies
Keywords
mortuary practice, Anglo-Saxon, Vikings, identity
Publication Date
2014
Degree Granted
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type
Senior Independent Study Thesis
© Copyright 2014 Kathryn Z. Libby