THEY came across the North Sea more than 1000 years ago and little is known about them, but now the secrets of the Vikings who lived and died on Orkney in the 10th century are about to be unlocked.

In 2015, human remains were discovered on the north-east coast of Papa Westray, Orkney. Further investigations found that these discoveries were the remains of Viking Age burials.

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) said: “Excavations revealed a number of significant finds, including evidence of a rare Viking boat burial and a second grave richly furnished with weapons including a sword. Similarities with the type of burials and grave furnishings to those previously uncovered suggest the Papa Westray graves may be those of first-generation Norwegian settlers on Orkney.”

HES is now funding analysis on two recently discovered Viking graves that may form part of a previously unknown cemetery.

Archaeologists from AOC Archaeology are now working to analyse the discovery using a range of cutting-edge scientific techniques, with the hope of gaining new insights into the life and death of the Viking community in Orkney.

The project will include a detailed programme of osteological work (bone analysis) and radiocarbon dating to help determine the age of the remains, as well as expert conservation and analysis of the grave artefacts that were unearthed.

HES and the Ancient Genome Project will also be looking into the buried Vikings’ ancestry and sex as well as their diet and mobility.

Dr Kirsty Owen, deputy head of archaeology at HES, said “We are delighted to be funding the work on this exciting project with AOC Archaeology. Many of the Viking burial sites we know of in Orkney were excavated in the late 19th and early 20th century, meaning that we have a rare opportunity to investigate this discovery with the cutting-edge methods and techniques available to us today.”