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Researchers just confirmed this Viking tomb belonged to a legendary female warrior.

Researchers just confirmed this Viking tomb belonged to a legendary female warrior.
Antiquity Publications Ltd./drawing by Tancredi Valeri.

She was a warrior, a gamer and a badass the likes of which are rarely seen. And she did it all more than 1,000 years before Beyoncé was even born.

But her greatest victory may have come after a team of researchers finally proved the naysayers wrong who had obnoxiously insisted this warrior was so fierce it could only have been a man.

A new study has confirmed a finding from 2017 which suggested that the elaborate burial site of a Viking warrior from the 10th century in Birka, Sweden did, in fact, belong to a woman. And she was one of a kind.


“The site was filled with a trove of weapons, including a sword, spear, shield and two horses, as well as a game board likely used to map out military strategies,” reads a description of the burial site.

In fact, her burial site was just one of two tombs out of a collection of more than 1,100 that contained a full set of weapons. Yes, she was that hardcore.

“The weapons left in the tomb—specifically, a sword, axe, fighting knife, lances, shields and 25 armor-piercing arrows—are present in an “unusual profusion and variety,” pointing toward the deceased’s likely career as an experienced mounted archer. Domestic tools one might more closely associate with Viking women are, on the other hand, absent from the grave.”

However, when researchers first published their evidence in 2017, there was an outcry from critics who insisted the grave of this iconic warrior must surely have belonged to a man, despite a long, documented history of Viking warrior women.

Photo by Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images.

“I must say I thought that we had come much further than that; I was surprised by the reactions we had to the article,” Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson, the study’s co-author, said of the reactions to her team’s historic discovery.

Public domain.

So, researchers went back and conducted extensive DNA tests on the warrior’s bones, which ultimately confirmed the initial findings that she was in fact a woman.

The new DNA evidence was published as part of a paper in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology, where Hedenstierna-Jonson and her colleagues deadpanned:

“The objective of this study has been to confirm the sex and the affinity of an individual buried in a well‐furnished warrior grave (Bj 581) in the Viking Age town of Birka, Sweden. Previously, based on the material and historical records, the male sex has been associated with the gender of the warrior and such was the case with Bj 581. An earlier osteological classification of the individual as female was considered controversial in a historical and archaeological context. A genomic confirmation of the biological sex of the individual was considered necessary to solve the issue.”

Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

It’s a shame that this Viking warrior had to go through one more battle to validate a legacy she spent her life creating.

Then again, we’re guessing that knocking down mansplainers of all varieties was nothing new to her.

All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

True

A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.
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