Ancient Individual

A man buried in Sweden in the Medieval era

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A man buried in Sweden during the Medieval Northern Swedish Culture

A fragment of the ancient world, preserved across millennia in strands of DNA.

wes004

1016 CE - 1262 CE

Male

Sweden

Explore Their Story Discover Your Shared Roots

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Chapter I

Identity

The biological and cultural markers that define this ancient individual

Sample ID

wes004

Date Range

1016 CE - 1262 CE

Cultural Period

Medieval Northern Swedish Culture

Biological Sex

Male

mtDNA Haplogroup

Y-DNA Haplogroup

R-FGC5549

Social Role

Farmer (AI estimate, era-typical)

Chapter II

Place

Where this individual was discovered

Country Sweden

Locality Vasterhus (Jämtlands län, Östersund)

Coordinates 63.2000, 14.5000

Chapter III

Time

When this individual lived in the broader context of human history

wes004 1016 CE - 1262 CE

Chapter IV

Story

The narrative of this ancient life

Region & Environment

Northern Sweden remained environmentally diverse, with forests and major inland waterways continuing to shape travel, resource procurement, and settlement choices. Where agriculture was feasible, farms and villages relied on local conditions, supported by fishing and hunting in less arable zones.

Historical Context

The medieval centuries in Scandinavia were marked by broader transformations, including the consolidation of regional authorities and the spread of Christianity. In northern Sweden, these processes would have unfolded unevenly, with archaeological evidence reflecting gradual changes in how communities organized land use, production, and ritual practices.

Populations & Lifeways

Medieval populations lived in household-based rural communities, alongside emerging centers in some areas. Daily lifeways likely combined agriculture, livestock management, and continued use of aquatic and forest resources. Social differentiation is inferred through the distribution of higher-status goods, building features at settlements, and funerary patterns where they are archaeologically visible.

Archaeology & Material Culture

Archaeological signatures for the medieval period include changes in domestic assemblages, building materials, and the character of metal and textile-related tools. Cemeteries and graves may show new stylistic conventions compared to the Viking Age, while settlement remains provide evidence for evolving craft and production systems.

Culture & Society

Culture in this era is best described through continuity and change: local communities maintained Scandinavian material traditions while participating in wider cultural currents. Religious change, as indicated broadly by the medieval archaeological record, would have influenced commemorative practices and the appearance of certain artifact categories.

Legacy & Transition

The end of this medieval span precedes the early modern era, when Swedish political and administrative structures expanded further. Archaeological sequences demonstrate that the medieval period formed an essential bridge between Viking Age lifeways and later Scandinavian transformations.

Context

Related Samples

This individual exists within a broader network of ancient samples. No ancient genome stands alone.

Sample ID	Culture/Period	Date	Location	Action
wes003	Medieval Northern Swedish Culture	1016 CE	Vasterhus (Jämtlands län, Östersund), Sweden	View
wes004	Medieval Northern Swedish Culture	1016 CE	Vasterhus (Jämtlands län, Östersund), Sweden	View
snb017	Southern Swedish Pre-Viking Culture	450 CE	Sandby Borg (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
snb018	Southern Swedish Pre-Viking Culture	450 CE	Sandby Borg (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
kro004	Southern Swedish Post-Medieval Culture	1676 CE	Kronan (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
kro006	Southern Swedish Post-Medieval Culture	1676 CE	Kronan (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
wes005	Medieval Northern Swedish Culture	1016 CE	Vasterhus (Jämtlands län, Östersund), Sweden	View
wes007	Medieval Northern Swedish Culture	1163 CE	Vasterhus (Jämtlands län, Östersund), Sweden	View
gam872	Late Viking Age Culture of Central Sweden	950 CE	Gammelbyn Börstil (Uppsala län, Östhammar), Sweden	View
kro010	Southern Swedish Post-Medieval Culture	1676 CE	Kronan (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
kro011	Southern Swedish Post-Medieval Culture	1676 CE	Kronan (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
kvi001	Viking Age Gotlanders	800 CE	Eksta Kvie (Gotlands län, Gotland), Sweden	View
lau001	Pre-Viking Gotland Culture	600 CE	Gannor (Gotlands län, Gotland), Sweden	View
vls696	Late Viking Age Culture of Central Sweden	996 CE	Norrsunda (Stockholms län, Sigtuna), Sweden	View
wes001	Medieval Northern Swedish Culture	1016 CE	Vasterhus (Jämtlands län, Östersund), Sweden	View
ven001_viking	Vendel Culture	560 CE	Vendel (Uppsala), Sweden	View
als010	Late Viking Age Culture of Central Sweden	950 CE	Alsike (Uppsala län, Knivsta), Sweden	View
als015	Late Viking Age Culture of Central Sweden	800 CE	Alsike (Uppsala län, Knivsta), Sweden	View
frc007	Northern Swedish Viking Culture	950 CE	Frösön (Jämtlands län, Östersund), Sweden	View
ful001	Vendel Culture	242 CE	Fullero (Uppsala län, Uppsala), Sweden	View
kro001	Southern Swedish Post-Medieval Culture	1676 CE	Kronan (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
kro002	Southern Swedish Post-Medieval Culture	1676 CE	Kronan (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
kro012	Southern Swedish Post-Medieval Culture	1676 CE	Kronan (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
kro013	Southern Swedish Post-Medieval Culture	1676 CE	Kronan (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
gor164	Late Viking Age Culture of Central Sweden	1000 CE	Gorla (Stockholms län, Norrtälje), Sweden	View
gor358	Late Viking Age Culture of Central Sweden	750 CE	Gorla (Stockholms län, Norrtälje), Sweden	View
rtp001	Northern Swedish Pre-Viking Culture	450 CE	Romback (Västernorrlands län, Ånge), Sweden	View
rtp003	Northern Swedish Pre-Viking Culture	450 CE	Romback (Västernorrlands län, Ånge), Sweden	View
lov001	Vendel Culture	475 CE	Lovö (Stockholms län, Ekerö), Sweden	View
kro008_viking	Southern Swedish Post-Medieval Culture	1676 CE	Kronan (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
kro009_viking	Southern Swedish Post-Medieval Culture	1676 CE	Kronan (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
snb010	Southern Swedish Pre-Viking Culture	450 CE	Sandby Borg (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
snb012	Southern Swedish Pre-Viking Culture	450 CE	Sandby Borg (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
bro100	Late Viking Age Culture of Central Sweden	750 CE	Sasta (Stockholms län, Täby), Sweden	View
hav001	Late Viking Age Culture of Gotland	1000 CE	Hablingbo Havor (Gotlands län, Gotland), Sweden	View
snb019	Southern Swedish Pre-Viking Culture	450 CE	Sandby Borg (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
stg018	Late Viking Age Culture of Central Sweden	892 CE	Sigtuna (Stockholms län, Upplands-Bro), Sweden	View
enb508	Late Viking Age Culture of Central Sweden	950 CE	Enbacken (Örebro län, Örebro), Sweden	View
snb013	Southern Swedish Pre-Viking Culture	450 CE	Sandby Borg (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
snb014	Southern Swedish Pre-Viking Culture	450 CE	Sandby Borg (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
kro014	Southern Swedish Post-Medieval Culture	1676 CE	Kronan (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
kro015	Southern Swedish Post-Medieval Culture	1676 CE	Kronan (Kalmar län, Mörbylånga), Sweden	View
wes008	Medieval Northern Swedish Culture	1016 CE	Vasterhus (Jämtlands län, Östersund), Sweden	View
wes056	Northern Swedish Viking Culture	1016 CE	Vasterhus (Jämtlands län, Östersund), Sweden	View
hvr009	Northern Norwegian Pre-Viking Culture	60 CE	Nordland, Alstahaug, Norway	View
als001	Vendel Culture	575 CE	Alsike (Uppsala län, Knivsta), Sweden	View
als007	Late Viking Age Culture of Central Sweden	950 CE	Alsike (Uppsala län, Knivsta), Sweden	View
sal002	Late Viking Age Culture of Central Sweden	950 CE	Sala (Västmanlands län, Sala), Sweden	View

Sample ID	Culture/Period	Date	Location	Action
wes003	Medieval Northern Swedish Culture	1016 CE	Vasterhus (Jämtlands län, Östersund), Sweden	View
wes004	Medieval Northern Swedish Culture	1016 CE	Vasterhus (Jämtlands län, Östersund), Sweden	View
wes005	Medieval Northern Swedish Culture	1016 CE	Vasterhus (Jämtlands län, Östersund), Sweden	View
wes007	Medieval Northern Swedish Culture	1163 CE	Vasterhus (Jämtlands län, Östersund), Sweden	View
wes001	Medieval Northern Swedish Culture	1016 CE	Vasterhus (Jämtlands län, Östersund), Sweden	View
wes008	Medieval Northern Swedish Culture	1016 CE	Vasterhus (Jämtlands län, Östersund), Sweden	View

Sources

References

Scientific publications and genetic data that inform this profile.

Scientific Publication

The genetic history of Scandinavia from the Roman Iron Age to the present

Authors Rodríguez-Varela R, Moore KHS, Ebenesersdóttir SS, Kilinc GM, Kjellström A et al.

Abstract

We investigate a 2,000-year genetic transect through Scandinavia spanning the Iron Age to the present, based on 48 new and 249 published ancient genomes and genotypes from 16,638 modern individuals. We find regional variation in the timing and magnitude of gene flow from three sources: the eastern Baltic, the British-Irish Isles, and southern Europe. British-Irish ancestry was widespread in Scandinavia from the Viking period, whereas eastern Baltic ancestry is more localized to Gotland and central Sweden. In some regions, a drop in current levels of external ancestry suggests that ancient immigrants contributed proportionately less to the modern Scandinavian gene pool than indicated by the ancestry of genomes from the Viking and Medieval periods. Finally, we show that a north-south genetic cline that characterizes modern Scandinavians is mainly due to the differential levels of Uralic ancestry and that this cline existed in the Viking Age and possibly earlier.

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