Located on an island in the middle of Lake Malar in Sweden, Birka became an important departure point for Viking trade voyages east during the ninth and tenth centuries. Excavations have revealed just how wealthy this settlement was, with many fortifications and impressive burial mounds.

Grave Bj584 was originally excavated in 1878, when the skeleton of  a person, together with a large number of weapons and other burial goods, were discovered.

At first it was assumed that the burial was of a male warrior. However, subsequent testing has revealed that it was actually a woman, challenging accepted ideas about the role of women in Viking society.

The book by Nancy Marie Brown, “The Real Valkyrie: The Hidden History of Viking Warrior Women” imagines the life of the woman in the grave by attributing to her the character of Hervor in the old Norse poem, the Saga of Hervor. This is a great read which weaves fact and fiction together, as well as adding some wonderful contextual history.