Ancient DNA and Trauma in Rare Viking Age Grave in Latvia Reveal Possible Raid Victims

Six people buried in a single grave in Latvia more than 1,000 years ago suffered fatal sharp-force injuries during a violent event, according to an archaeological study published in the September issue of the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. Genetic research cited by Live Science reveals that the group consisted of four men, a boy, and a girl, with biological ties linking some of the deceased.

Genetic Ties and Burial Structure at Čunkāni-Dreņģeri

Ancient DNA analysis shows that the boy was the son of one of the adult men, while another man shared a third-degree relationship, such as a first cousin or great-uncle. Two other adult men in the grave had no biological connection to the rest of the group. According to reporting from Times of India, the remains were discovered in ‘Burial 351’ at the Čunkāni-Dreņģeri cemetery in the Zemgale region. Among 750 excavated graves at the site, multiple burials are exceedingly rare, accounting for only 0.9 percent of the total.

The individuals were placed in a single layer following traditional Semigallian customs. The sole female was positioned with her head pointing toward the northwest, while the males lay in a row beside her with their heads pointing toward the southeast. Study co-author Elīna Pētersone-Gordina noted that the careful arrangement and inclusion of traditional grave goods indicate a multiple burial rather than a rushed mass grave.

Evidence of Violence and the Viking Raid Hypothesis

Skeletal analysis indicates severe trauma among the interred individuals. Three of the adult men sustained sharp-force injuries around the time of death, consistent with blows from an ax or sword. The cause of death for the fourth man and the two children remains undetermined due to missing or unrecoverable soft-tissue evidence.

Radiocarbon dating places the grave in the second half of the ninth century, aligning with the early Viking Age. Researchers suggest that the group could have been killed during a raid by neighboring communities or Scandinavian Vikings active in the Eastern Baltic region at the time. Pētersone-Gordina stated that given the timing, a Viking raid remains a possibility, though it cannot be definitively proven.

Local Semigallian Identity and Broader Implications

Genetic testing confirmed that all tested individuals possessed Indigenous Baltic ancestry, specifically matching the Semigallians, an Iron Age group that farmed the fertile plains of Latvia. Population genetic analysis placed them closest to local ancient Baltic populations rather than Scandinavian settlers, establishing that the victims were members of the local community. Vilnius University anthropologist and archaeologist Rimantas Jankauskas, who was not involved in the study, observed that the findings offer new insight into the social organization of the Semigallian people and point toward an emerging aristocratic structure reflected in the care given to the burial.