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AI In Genetics. Sala Silver Mine Sweden. A rebel Fin or a Royal? 1620
Now that the school is over, the rabbit hole of tracing Vikings’ DNA is all mine to enjoy. There are too many, but each has a unique story. Here is an interesting one: a miner(?), a prisoner(?), a Fin, and too young to be my grandpa, but who knows…
Sala Silver Mine in central Sweden was an important manufacturer of silver from at least the 16th until the early 20th century, with production peaking in the 16th, mid 17th and 19th centuries. Written sources reveal that common criminal convicts from Sweden-Finland andwar prisoners from the numerous wars fought by Sweden during the time were exploited in the mine, and someof them were likely buried on the cemetery. The cemetery has been excavated on several occasions and the recovered human remains were divided into two different groups based on burial custom, demography and biochemical results. This sample is from the group containing war prisoners rather than local workers. All were buried in Christian tradition on their backs with their heads to the west.
These remains are of a 16–19 year old male.
1. Southwest_Finnish (6.639)
2. Finnish (9.082)
3. East_Finnish (11.27)
4. North_Swedish (11.92)
5. Polish (12.12)
6. German_Central (12.25)
7. East_German (12.48)
8. Estonian (12.87)
