Centuries-Old Skeleton Matches Harrowing Account of Medieval Biological Warfare
By James Woodford
For over 800 years, the Sverris saga—a gripping Old Norse chronicle of King Sverre Sigurdsson’s turbulent reign—contained a chilling passage about a dead man thrown into a castle well during a raid. Now, cutting-edge DNA analysis suggests archaeologists have found the very skeleton described in the saga, offering unprecedented insights into medieval warfare and Norse genetics.
The Legend of “Well Man”
The Sverris saga, written in the early 13th century, recounts a brutal attack on Sverresborg Castle (near Trondheim, Norway) by rival clans in the late 1100s. One verse describes how invaders:
“Took a dead man and cast him unto the well, and then filled it up with stones.”
This act was long speculated to be an early form of biological warfare—contaminating the castle’s sole water supply with a corpse, possibly diseased.
The 1938 Discovery: A Skeleton in the Well
During excavations of Sverresborg’s ruins in 1938, workers drained the castle’s medieval well and uncovered:
✔ A human skeleton buried under rubble and boulders
✔ No grave goods or clothing—just bones crushed by stones
✔ Nicknamed “Well Man”, he was assumed to be the saga’s victim—but without proof
Modern Science Confirms the Link
Now, a team led by Anna Petersén (Norwegian Institute of Cultural Heritage Research) has applied radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis to Well Man’s remains. Key findings:
🔎 He died between 1150–1230 AD—matching the saga’s timeline.
🔎 Genetic markers indicate blond/light-brown hair and blue eyes.
🔎 Ancestral roots trace to Vest-Agder, southern Norway.
“While we can’t say with 100% certainty this is the saga’s man, the evidence strongly aligns,” says Petersén.
Was This Early Biological Warfare?
The study couldn’t confirm if Well Man was diseased or if his dumping was intentional sabotage. However:
- No signs of violent trauma (he may have already been dead when thrown in).
- Strategic impact: Blocking the well would force surrender during sieges.
“Whether biological or psychological warfare, this was a calculated act,” notes Michael Martin (Norwegian University of Science and Technology).
Why This Discovery Matters
1️⃣ First genomic link between a named saga figure and physical remains.
2️⃣ Proof that oral histories can preserve real events accurately for centuries.
3️⃣ New method to cross-check legends with archaeology.
“DNA lets us add details the saga never recorded—like his appearance and ancestry,” says Martin. “This bridges myth and science.”
What’s Next?
Researchers hope to:
- Sequence more Norse DNA to map medieval population movements.
- Reconstruct facial features of Well Man.
- Search for pathogens that could confirm disease theories.
Further Reading:
- The Sverris Saga: A Historical Analysis (Old Norse Texts Series)
- Medieval Biological Warfare (Journal of Conflict Archaeology)
- Viking DNA: Tracing Norse Ancestry (Nature Genetics)
Image Credits: Public domain illustrations of Sverresborg Castle and Norse sagas.