DNA analysis links the medieval skeleton found in the well to events in Sver

Ancient DNA analysis of skeletal remains found in a well at Norway’s Sverresborg Castle has confirmed an 800-year-old story from the Sverris Saga, shedding new light on medieval history. The study, published Oct. 25 in the journal iScience, suggests that the remains known as “the well” likely belong to the man mentioned in the saga, providing a unique link between historical texts and modern scientific discoveries.

Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, including Professor Michael D. Martin and Dr. Martin René Ellegaard, used genomic tools and ancient DNA analysis to investigate the Well Man’s past. They extracted DNA from a tooth found among the remains, allowing them to sequence the human genome despite the poor preservation of DNA in the bones.

Radiocarbon dating confirmed that the man died around 1197, which corresponds to the period described in the Sverris Saga. The saga tells that during a raid on Sverresborg Castle near Trondheim, attackers threw a dead man into a well to poison the main water source. This case is briefly mentioned in the text: “The dead man was thrown into a well and then covered with stones.”

DNA analysis revealed that Well-man had blue eyes, fair skin, and fair or light brown hair. Its origin traces back to the southernmost part of Norway, in particular from the current province of Vest-Agder. The find was significant because it suggests that the man may have been one of the raiders known as Buglers who came from southern Norway, rather than one of the local defenders associated with King Sverre Sigurdsson.

Professor Michael D. Martin stated, “The biggest surprise to all of us was that the Well did not come from a local population, but rather that it originated from a certain region in southern Norway.” This casts doubt on earlier suggestions that the Well was one of King Sverre’s men.

Archaeologist Anna Petersen from the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research, who led the excavations in 2014 and 2016, commented on the newly discovered identity of Kolodyaz. “He was nobody. But now he has become someone. He had a life,” she said. Genomic analysis has provided new details about a person’s origins and appearance, effectively transforming him from a nameless plot device into a person with a story.

The remains of the well were first discovered during partial excavations of the well in 1938. At that time, experts lacked the necessary tools to conduct large-scale analysis, and research was stopped due to the outbreak of World War II. The skeleton remained largely unstudied until recent years, when renewed excavations revealed additional bones, including Kolodyaz’s left arm and skull.

Radiocarbon dating and genomic sequencing have provided a more complex picture of personality. An autopsy showed the man was between 30 and 40 years old at the time of his death and had injuries similar to a head injury and sharp cuts, suggesting a violent death. The cause of death has not been determined as the sample from Wellman’s tooth cannot be reused for further tests.

The findings provide a glimpse into where this man came from and what he might have looked like before his tragic death. Anna Petersen observed: “The text adds nothing about who this dead man was, where he came from, what group he belonged to.” The results of the study provide valuable information about medieval population movements and ancient isolation and genetic differentiation of southern Norwegians.

The researchers compared the resulting genome with the genomes of anonymous modern Norwegians stored in reference databases at deCODE Genetics in Iceland. This extensive reference data facilitated the analysis of the ancient Well Man genome. Dr. Martin René Ellegaard explained: “Most of the work we do relies on the availability of reference data. So the more ancient genomes we sequence and the more modern individuals we sequence, the better the analysis will be in the future.”

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Professor Michael D. Martin noted, “This is the first time that the person described in these historical texts has actually been found.” Several outside researchers have stated that this study makes a compelling case, although it cannot conclusively prove that the Well Man is a person in the saga.

Sverris Saga, believed to have been written by someone close to King Sverre Sigurdsson, possibly the Icelandic abbot Carl Jónsson, has long been the subject of scholarly debate for its literary embellishments and political biases. The saga details many battles, speeches and a large cast of characters, reflecting the conflicts and civil wars in Norway during the 12th and 13th centuries. As the authors wrote, “much of Norway’s early history is known from this single text, which depicts a period of political instability characterized by conflicts and civil wars lasting over a century.”

The study sets a precedent for future research on historical figures, showing how genomic techniques can confirm and improve our understanding of medieval events. The researchers expressed a desire to test samples of other historical figures, including Saint Olaf, who is believed to be buried near Trondheim Cathedral. “If his remains are eventually found, there may be some attempts to physically describe him and trace his ancestry through genetic sequencing,” Martin said.

In conclusion, the ancient DNA analysis of the Well Man not only confirms the historical story from the Sverris Saga, but also personifies a figure who was: “Reality is always more complicated than sagas or stories. So I think this achievement is just being able to say that this man, whoever he was and why he ended up in the well, came from this part of Norway,” Petersen said.

Sources: Ars Technica, Newsweek, ScienceDaily, The Sun, The Scottish Sun, 20 minutos, New York Post, Popular Science, Discover Magazine, BioBioChile, Washington Post, New Scientist, NPR, LaVanguardia, The New York Times

This article was written in collaboration with the generating company Alchemiq