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A bone-chilling look at how Viking skulls reveal a myriad of severe diseases

Sweden's Viking population harbored severe oral disease, sinus infections, and more

A bone-chilling look at how Viking skulls reveal a myriad of severe diseases
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© Getty Images

Daniela Ayoub
18/04/2025 15:00 ‧ 1 month ago | StarsInsider

HEALTH

Ancient history

Research conducted by the University of Gothenburg looked into the remains of Vikings from Sweden’s Viking Age, and all they saw were problems. Previous studies examined teeth from ancient graves in Varnhem, Sweden, and now, the research has expanded to look at entire skulls to give us a peek into the quality of Viking health. Odontologists conducted CT scans on the skulls of Vikings and found a number of severe, pathological diseases. Infections, inflammation, and other conditions were common among Vikings.

Which diseases did they suffer from? How did these illnesses likely affect Vikings’ longevity and behavior? Click through the gallery to find out.

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