THE VIKING Coppergate Woman

A skeleton partially unearthed from a archaeological dig shows a fully intact skeletal structure. This is Coppergate Woman, once thought to be Gunnhild. — Coppergate Woman’s skeleton in situ at the excavation site
photo courtesy of York Archaeological Trust

Dive into the stinky filth of everyday Viking life as Katie presents Olivia with a mystery. It’s not so much a Whodunnit as a WhoWASit: the skeleton of a woman found in a shallow grave on the banks of York’s River Foss. What can her bones, and all the other delightfully disgusting bits of evidence from Viking York, tell us about the mysterious Coppergate Woman?

Katie is on location at the Jorvik Viking Center in York, England, with guest Dr. Chris Tuckley.

A woman stares at a skeleton in a glass case. This is the skeleton of Coppergate Woman, originally thought to be Gunnhild. — A visitor gets up close to the remains of the Coppergate woman in JORVIK Viking Centre’s galleries
photo courtesy of York Archaeological Trust

Archaeologists working on an archaeological dig in a shot taken from a higher spot. Walls and gravesites are marked out. — Archaeologists working in the heat at the Coppergate excavation
photo courtesy of York Archaeological Trust

The Coppergate excavation from a high vantage point, showing the depth and extent of the site
photo courtesy of York Archaeological Trust

The Lloyds Bank coprolite: fossilised human faeces dug up from the Coppergate Dig in York
photo by Linda Spashett

Chris Tuckley received his PhD at the Institute for Medieval Studies, University of Leeds, in 2009. He has worked for York Archaeological Trust since 2004, and is currently YAT’s Head of Interpretation and Engagement, based at the JORVIK Viking Centre.

THE VIKING Coppergate Woman

Music featured in this episode included

Your purchases help support the podcast!

One Comment