How many female Viking warriors does it take to make a fact?
When archaeologist Dr. Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson discovers that the
bones contained in the most significant Viking warrior grave ever opened
are, in fact, female, she and her team upend centuries of historically
accepted conclusions and ignite a furious debate around the reality of
female Viking warriors and the role of gender in both ancient and modern
times.
In The Bones of Birka, author C. M. Surrisi introduces young readers
to the events that led up to this discovery and the impact it has had on
scientists' and historians' views of gender roles in ancient societies
and today. This is the inside account of the Birka warrior grave Bj 581
archaeological endeavor, including all of the dreams, setbacks,
frustrations, excitement, politics, and personalities that went into
this history-changing discovery.
The finding has raised crucial questions about research bias, academic
dialogue, and gender identity.