Scientists Uncover the Identity of Norway's 800-Year-Old 'Well Man'
A section of the Sverris Saga, an 800-year-old Norse account of King Sverre Sigurdsson, describes a military raid in AD 1197. During this attack, a body was cast into a well at Sverresborg Castle, near Trondheim in central Norway, likely to poison the primary water source for the local population.
A new study, published in iScience on October 25, details how researchers used ancient DNA to corroborate the saga’s account and uncover insights into the identity of the “Well-man.” This study merges history, archaeology, and genetics, setting a new precedent for historical research.
“This is the first time we’ve actually identified a person described in these historical texts,” says Professor Michael D. Martin of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s University Museum in Trondheim. “There are numerous medieval and ancient remains across Europe that are increasingly being studied with genomic methods.”
Bones discovered in Sverresborg Castle’s well in 1938 could only be examined visually with the technology of the time. However, radiocarbon dating and advanced gene-sequencing now offer a detailed profile of the Well-man. Radiocarbon analysis dates the remains to roughly 900 years ago, and studies in 2014 and 2016 revealed the remains belong to a male aged between 30 and 40 at death.
Unveiling Complexity Beyond Historical Texts
Archaeologist Anna Petersén from the Norwegian Institute of Cultural Heritage Research in Oslo explains, “The text is not absolutely correct—what we have seen is that the reality is much more complex than the text.”
Dr. Martin Rene Ellegaard of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology adds, “We can corroborate what actually happened in a more neutral way.” As part of his doctoral research, Ellegaard sequenced the genome of the Well-man using a tooth sample from his skeleton. This genetic analysis revealed that the Well-man likely had blue eyes, blond or light-brown hair, and ancestry tracing back to the southern region of present-day Vest-Agder, Norway.
The researchers achieved insights into the Well-man’s ancestry using extensive reference data from modern Norwegian genomes, provided through a collaboration with Professor Agnar Helgason at deCODE Genetics in Iceland. "Most of the work that we do is reliant on having reference data," explains Dr. Ellegaard. "So, the more ancient genomes that we sequence and the more modern individuals that we sequence, the better the analysis will be in the future."
Professor Martin adds, "These reference data comprise literally thousands of genomes from modern Norwegians and many thousands of other European genomes," enabling more precise ancestral links for historical DNA analysis.
Ethical Considerations and Limitations
Researchers face ethical and technical challenges in ancient DNA analysis, as seen in the study of Norway’s “Well-man.” Sampling his genome required grinding a tooth to prevent contamination, sacrificing it for future tests and leaving pathogen data unretrievable. “It was a compromise,” says Dr. Ellegaard, highlighting the need for careful decision-making in historical DNA studies to preserve samples for potential future analysis.
Future ambitions include investigating remains of prominent figures, like Saint Olaf, if found. Such studies could unveil physical traits and lineage through genetic sequencing, advancing the field of archaeology by integrating history and science.
This research was funded by the NTNU Onsager Fellowship, the Norwegian Research Council, the Carlsbergfondet Semper Ardens grant, and the Norwegian Institute of Cultural Research.
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