The Ridgeway Vikings: New research and findings | Dr Heather Tamminen
21 July 2022, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
In 2009, a mass burial of archaeological human remains was discovered on the South Dorset Ridgeway, during the construction of the Weymouth Relief Road. Through a study by Oxford Archaeology, these individuals were found to have lived and died around the year 1000 and originated from Scandinavia and northern Europe, leading to the conclusion that the approximately 52 men were Vikings. They had been decapitated in what appeared to be a systematic mass execution, whilst repeated examples of injuries caused by bladed weapons (sharp force trauma) were found on their skeletons.
Using modern digital technology, the sharp force of trauma on these individuals has been reappraised to see what new information can be learned. Bournemouth University’s Heather Tamminen will show how this technology has been able to refine the interpretations of the events that occurred and have added to the narrative of dramatic events that took place on the Ridgeway ten centuries ago.
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Opening hours:
Dorset Museum & Art Gallery
Daily: 10.00am - 5.00pm
TASTE Café
Daily: 9.00am - 4.00pm
Sunday: 10:00am - 4:00pm
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Dr Heather M. Tamminen BHK, MSc
Heather is a human osteologist currently specialising in conflict trauma. Originally from Canada, she has been studying musculoskeletal anatomy for the past decade and human osteoarchaeology since she moved to the UK in 2015. Having previously worked in the UK commercial archaeological sector, Heather is currently working on a PhD at Bournemouth University (in collaboration with the Dorset Museum) looking at the use of digital technology in the analysis and preservation of sharp force trauma on human remains.
Banner image: © Sam North
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Home of Hillforts & Henges is an exciting new event from 21st to 31st July that will celebrate Dorchester’s neolithic and iron age landscape, rich in earthworks and the people that have lived here for over 6,000 years.
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Co-ordinated by the Council for British Archaeology, the Festival offers hundreds of events nationwide, organised by museums, heritage organisations, national and country parks, universities, local societies, and community archaeologists.
The Festival of Archaeology will take place between 16 – 31 July 2022.
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