1 00:00:03,545 --> 00:00:06,005 Archaeologists working on a metro expansion 2 00:00:06,006 --> 00:00:08,966 below the streets of Copenhagen, Denmark, 3 00:00:08,967 --> 00:00:11,260 make a surprising discovery. 4 00:00:11,261 --> 00:00:13,804 19 feet below Osterport Station, 5 00:00:13,805 --> 00:00:16,766 they came across a wood-lined square tunnel 6 00:00:16,767 --> 00:00:19,852 only three feet wide and three feet high. 7 00:00:19,853 --> 00:00:22,813 In a city that's been documented for centuries, 8 00:00:22,814 --> 00:00:25,816 it seems like this tunnel was meant to stay hidden. 9 00:00:25,817 --> 00:00:27,443 But why was it built? 10 00:00:27,444 --> 00:00:29,820 And what purpose did it serve? 11 00:00:29,821 --> 00:00:32,198 Excavations beneath a former dormitory 12 00:00:32,199 --> 00:00:36,827 in Williamsburg, Virginia, uncover a mysterious cellar. 13 00:00:36,828 --> 00:00:39,372 The cellar contained artifacts and everyday objects 14 00:00:39,373 --> 00:00:43,834 from across centuries, including pottery fragments, buttons, 15 00:00:43,835 --> 00:00:47,046 and even jewelry, which provided a glimpse into the lives 16 00:00:47,047 --> 00:00:50,216 of the people who once used this space. 17 00:00:50,217 --> 00:00:52,218 What was this space really for? 18 00:00:52,219 --> 00:00:54,804 And how could these finds reshape what we know 19 00:00:54,805 --> 00:00:57,473 about America's early years? 20 00:00:57,474 --> 00:00:59,934 In the small town of Salo, Finland, 21 00:00:59,935 --> 00:01:02,270 a landowner digging on his property 22 00:01:02,271 --> 00:01:04,230 makes a remarkable find. 23 00:01:04,231 --> 00:01:06,899 Further excavation revealed human bones, 24 00:01:06,900 --> 00:01:09,860 fragments of clothing, blade pieces, 25 00:01:09,861 --> 00:01:12,613 and traces of a wooden coffin. 26 00:01:12,614 --> 00:01:13,823 So who was buried here? 27 00:01:13,824 --> 00:01:15,408 And what can this burial ground tell us 28 00:01:15,409 --> 00:01:19,204 about Finland's early history of belief and identity? 29 00:01:21,164 --> 00:01:24,083 Below the busy streets of the world's cities 30 00:01:24,084 --> 00:01:27,795 exists a hidden realm of wonder. 31 00:01:27,796 --> 00:01:31,716 Sprawling ancient complexes, 32 00:01:31,717 --> 00:01:34,468 mysterious tombs, 33 00:01:34,469 --> 00:01:37,555 top-secret military bases, 34 00:01:37,556 --> 00:01:39,932 strange structures, 35 00:01:39,933 --> 00:01:42,435 and lost artifacts, 36 00:01:42,436 --> 00:01:46,314 buried beneath our feet and long forgotten... 37 00:01:46,315 --> 00:01:48,566 until now. 38 00:01:48,567 --> 00:01:53,362 Underground marvels are exposed to reveal what lies... 39 00:01:53,363 --> 00:01:55,949 Hidden Beneath the Cities. 40 00:02:03,415 --> 00:02:06,375 On the straits between the North and Baltic Seas, 41 00:02:06,376 --> 00:02:09,420 Copenhagen's journey from a medieval fishing village 42 00:02:09,421 --> 00:02:12,173 to Denmark's capital and largest city 43 00:02:12,174 --> 00:02:16,427 is one of survival and reinvention. 44 00:02:16,428 --> 00:02:19,847 Copenhagen emerged as a Viking outpost 45 00:02:19,848 --> 00:02:23,225 and fishing village. 46 00:02:23,226 --> 00:02:24,518 Over the first few centuries after that, 47 00:02:24,519 --> 00:02:27,980 it grows thanks to a healthy trade in salted herring, 48 00:02:27,981 --> 00:02:32,276 and that success makes it a target for nearby nations. 49 00:02:32,277 --> 00:02:35,237 In particular, it provokes the Hanseatic League. 50 00:02:35,238 --> 00:02:39,367 That's a powerful alliance of north German towns and merchants 51 00:02:39,368 --> 00:02:42,953 who banded together to control a lot of Europe's trade. 52 00:02:42,954 --> 00:02:45,623 {\an8}They repeatedly attacked Copenhagen, 53 00:02:45,624 --> 00:02:51,212 {\an8}and that culminated in the fortress's destruction in 1369. 54 00:02:51,213 --> 00:02:53,297 {\an8}But by the early 1700s, 55 00:02:53,298 --> 00:02:56,634 {\an8}Copenhagen was one of Europe's busiest trading hubs, 56 00:02:56,635 --> 00:02:58,803 with a stock exchange, new districts, 57 00:02:58,804 --> 00:03:01,764 in grand buildings lining its streets. 58 00:03:01,765 --> 00:03:04,392 However, the same ships that brought wealth 59 00:03:04,393 --> 00:03:07,853 also carried disease. 60 00:03:07,854 --> 00:03:09,855 In 1711, the plague killed 61 00:03:09,856 --> 00:03:12,316 nearly a third of the city's population. 62 00:03:12,317 --> 00:03:15,152 Disaster then followed in quick succession. 63 00:03:15,153 --> 00:03:19,073 A fire in 1728 destroyed a third of Copenhagen, 64 00:03:19,074 --> 00:03:24,578 and another in 1795 leveled much of what had just been rebuilt. 65 00:03:24,579 --> 00:03:25,871 In 1894, 66 00:03:25,872 --> 00:03:28,332 Denmark was a constitutional monarchy. 67 00:03:28,333 --> 00:03:30,668 {\an8}Copenhagen expanded into new districts 68 00:03:30,669 --> 00:03:34,296 {\an8}under a municipal council, while industry and labor movements 69 00:03:34,297 --> 00:03:36,841 helped reshape it into the modern city 70 00:03:36,842 --> 00:03:40,386 of around 1.3 million people you see today. 71 00:03:40,387 --> 00:03:42,513 In 2020, during excavations 72 00:03:42,514 --> 00:03:45,891 for a new metrolink, archaeologists reveal something 73 00:03:45,892 --> 00:03:49,563 unlike anything seen in the city before. 74 00:03:51,523 --> 00:03:54,066 19 feet below Osterport Station, 75 00:03:54,067 --> 00:03:57,862 they came across a wood-lined square tunnel 76 00:03:57,863 --> 00:04:01,031 only three feet wide and three feet high. 77 00:04:01,032 --> 00:04:04,577 {\an8}At first, they thought it might date to the 1600s, 78 00:04:04,578 --> 00:04:08,289 {\an8}but analysis of the timber confirmed that it had come from 79 00:04:08,290 --> 00:04:13,544 a tree that was cut down in the 19th century. 80 00:04:13,545 --> 00:04:15,963 One end passes below what used to be 81 00:04:15,964 --> 00:04:18,090 Copenhagen's old defensive walls. 82 00:04:18,091 --> 00:04:22,219 And the other continues beneath Ostbanegade, 83 00:04:22,220 --> 00:04:25,389 that's a street that runs north alongside the railway tracks. 84 00:04:25,390 --> 00:04:30,019 We don't know yet if it turns or even where it finally ends. 85 00:04:30,020 --> 00:04:33,481 So far they've only exposed about 10 feet of it. 86 00:04:33,482 --> 00:04:36,066 The Osterport tunnel is the first of its kind 87 00:04:36,067 --> 00:04:38,027 ever found in Copenhagen, 88 00:04:38,028 --> 00:04:40,905 and it doesn't appear in any maps or records. 89 00:04:40,906 --> 00:04:43,741 In a city that's been documented for centuries, 90 00:04:43,742 --> 00:04:47,745 it seems like this tunnel was meant to stay hidden. 91 00:04:47,746 --> 00:04:50,623 In a century marked by political unrest, 92 00:04:50,624 --> 00:04:52,082 a hidden route of this scale 93 00:04:52,083 --> 00:04:55,294 may have served certain private interests. 94 00:04:55,295 --> 00:05:00,299 From 1885 to 1894, Denmark's constitutional order 95 00:05:00,300 --> 00:05:02,927 was rocked by the provisional period, 96 00:05:02,928 --> 00:05:05,596 during which the prime minister bypassed parliament 97 00:05:05,597 --> 00:05:07,348 and ruled by decree. 98 00:05:07,349 --> 00:05:10,184 His actions sparked intense political conflict 99 00:05:10,185 --> 00:05:13,187 and opposition to his conservative government. 100 00:05:13,188 --> 00:05:16,607 In that atmosphere, a hidden passage in Osterbro 101 00:05:16,608 --> 00:05:19,235 might have offered officials or confidants 102 00:05:19,236 --> 00:05:21,779 discreet movements or protection. 103 00:05:21,780 --> 00:05:25,533 Is it possible that this tunnel was a private commission? 104 00:05:25,534 --> 00:05:27,701 Copenhagen had been devastated 105 00:05:27,702 --> 00:05:30,496 earlier in that century. 106 00:05:30,497 --> 00:05:36,794 By British bombardment in 1807, by bankruptcy in 1813, 107 00:05:36,795 --> 00:05:38,838 and by the loss of Norway 108 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:40,256 a year later. 109 00:05:40,257 --> 00:05:43,968 Concealed passage, big enough for someone to fit inside, 110 00:05:43,969 --> 00:05:46,804 may have been useful as a protection 111 00:05:46,805 --> 00:05:49,807 against unrest or sudden violence; 112 00:05:49,808 --> 00:05:51,767 almost like a safe room. 113 00:05:51,768 --> 00:05:55,646 In 1853, Copenhagen faced its deadliest epidemic 114 00:05:55,647 --> 00:05:59,775 in decades; cholera killed nearly 5,000 people. 115 00:05:59,776 --> 00:06:05,322 It caused about 70% of all the deaths in that city that year. 116 00:06:05,323 --> 00:06:07,700 Overcrowding inside old fortifications 117 00:06:07,701 --> 00:06:09,493 and leaking cesspools 118 00:06:09,494 --> 00:06:12,288 made the city a breeding ground for that disease. 119 00:06:12,289 --> 00:06:14,164 In the decades that followed, 120 00:06:14,165 --> 00:06:17,167 Osterbro rose as a wealthier district. 121 00:06:17,168 --> 00:06:21,672 And for those who had the means, a private, enclosed passage 122 00:06:21,673 --> 00:06:25,301 could have offered refuge from the city outside. 123 00:06:25,302 --> 00:06:27,970 In a city shaped by trade and restrictions, 124 00:06:27,971 --> 00:06:29,805 the tunnel may have offered a path 125 00:06:29,806 --> 00:06:32,850 tied to the underground economy. 126 00:06:32,851 --> 00:06:34,143 In the 19th century, 127 00:06:34,144 --> 00:06:38,272 sailors routinely smuggled alcohol, tobacco, coffee, 128 00:06:38,273 --> 00:06:41,859 and textiles into Denmark from England and Germany. 129 00:06:41,860 --> 00:06:45,988 And meanwhile, contraband was flowing out towards Sweden. 130 00:06:45,989 --> 00:06:48,365 So could a hidden tunnel beneath the city 131 00:06:48,366 --> 00:06:51,702 have been part of that system of illegal trade? 132 00:06:51,703 --> 00:06:55,414 After World War I, heavy Danish taxes on alcohol 133 00:06:55,415 --> 00:06:58,042 combined with prohibition across Scandinavia 134 00:06:58,043 --> 00:07:00,586 fueled a thriving black market. 135 00:07:00,587 --> 00:07:03,547 By the 1920s, smuggled spirits from Germany 136 00:07:03,548 --> 00:07:07,301 reportedly supplied nearly half of Denmark's consumption. 137 00:07:07,302 --> 00:07:10,179 In that climate, a concealed passage near Osterport 138 00:07:10,180 --> 00:07:12,264 could have been built or adapted 139 00:07:12,265 --> 00:07:16,477 to move goods beyond official oversight. 140 00:07:16,478 --> 00:07:18,729 Over 700 miles southwest 141 00:07:18,730 --> 00:07:20,773 in the Welsh town of New Quay, 142 00:07:20,774 --> 00:07:22,941 flooding in the basement of a local shop 143 00:07:22,942 --> 00:07:26,487 revealed a long forgotten passage. 144 00:07:26,488 --> 00:07:29,740 During the cleanup, the shop's owner uncovered a doorway 145 00:07:29,741 --> 00:07:32,576 leading to a tunnel nearly nine feet high 146 00:07:32,577 --> 00:07:35,996 and stretching some 50 feet toward the sea. 147 00:07:35,997 --> 00:07:38,248 Some local historians suggest it may date 148 00:07:38,249 --> 00:07:40,292 to the 17th or 18th century, 149 00:07:40,293 --> 00:07:43,170 when smuggling in wine, spirits, and salt 150 00:07:43,171 --> 00:07:46,548 was widespread along Cardigan Bay. 151 00:07:46,549 --> 00:07:50,260 In August 1704, customs officers reported 152 00:07:50,261 --> 00:07:55,265 some 150 men with horses unloading salt at New Quay. 153 00:07:55,266 --> 00:07:58,560 Outnumbered, the officers fired shots, 154 00:07:58,561 --> 00:08:01,438 only to be arrested by local constables 155 00:08:01,439 --> 00:08:03,816 and even dragged before court, 156 00:08:03,817 --> 00:08:08,278 which goes to show how strongly the community backed the trade. 157 00:08:08,279 --> 00:08:10,489 In New Quay, the smuggling theory makes sense, 158 00:08:10,490 --> 00:08:12,783 because the tunnel's tall enough to walk through 159 00:08:12,784 --> 00:08:14,993 and it runs directly to the sea. 160 00:08:14,994 --> 00:08:17,538 But Copenhagen's passage is different. 161 00:08:17,539 --> 00:08:19,873 It's a cramped shaft, it's only three feet across. 162 00:08:19,874 --> 00:08:24,253 It's way too tight to move large contraband in bulk. 163 00:08:24,254 --> 00:08:26,213 So I think we'd be smart to explore 164 00:08:26,214 --> 00:08:29,174 some alternative possibilities. 165 00:08:29,175 --> 00:08:30,300 The tunnels positioned 166 00:08:30,301 --> 00:08:32,720 beneath Copenhagen's former ramparts, 167 00:08:32,721 --> 00:08:35,514 the line where the city once defended itself, 168 00:08:35,515 --> 00:08:38,892 could be the strongest clue to its purpose. 169 00:08:38,893 --> 00:08:42,312 For thousands of years, tunnels have been a tool of war; 170 00:08:42,313 --> 00:08:46,483 a fourth domain alongside land, sea, and air. 171 00:08:46,484 --> 00:08:49,945 They were used to breach walls, infiltrate fortifications, 172 00:08:49,946 --> 00:08:51,989 or provide hidden escape routes. 173 00:08:51,990 --> 00:08:57,327 Could Copenhagen's undocumented tunnel belong to that tradition? 174 00:08:57,328 --> 00:09:00,497 Copenhagen's defenses began in 1167 175 00:09:00,498 --> 00:09:03,709 with ramparts and a moat shielding the town. 176 00:09:03,710 --> 00:09:05,836 Over the centuries, they were tested. 177 00:09:05,837 --> 00:09:09,882 During the Reformation, under Swedish siege in 1659, 178 00:09:09,883 --> 00:09:13,385 and in British bombardment during the Napoleonic Wars. 179 00:09:13,386 --> 00:09:15,095 Through the 17th century, 180 00:09:15,096 --> 00:09:19,641 Copenhagen's fortifications were modernized and expanded. 181 00:09:19,642 --> 00:09:24,271 They grew into a full ring of ramparts, bastions, and moats 182 00:09:24,272 --> 00:09:26,356 enclosing the capital as it rose 183 00:09:26,357 --> 00:09:29,902 into a major commercial and administrative hub. 184 00:09:29,903 --> 00:09:34,239 With such a fortified perimeter, the idea of hidden passages 185 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:39,328 built for protection in wartime is entirely plausible. 186 00:09:39,329 --> 00:09:41,163 The newly discovered tunnel runs beneath 187 00:09:41,164 --> 00:09:43,040 the line of the eastern ramparts, 188 00:09:43,041 --> 00:09:47,920 near the old Osterport gate, which was dismantled in 1857. 189 00:09:47,921 --> 00:09:52,883 That location and its narrow, confined dimensions 190 00:09:52,884 --> 00:09:55,260 suggest that it may have served 191 00:09:55,261 --> 00:09:58,639 as an escape route during conflict. 192 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:00,057 During World War I, 193 00:10:00,058 --> 00:10:03,894 as the Western Front devolved into a grinding stalemate, 194 00:10:03,895 --> 00:10:06,772 trenches and tunnels etched into the earth 195 00:10:06,773 --> 00:10:09,566 defined the conflict. 196 00:10:09,567 --> 00:10:12,820 At Vimy Ridge, over 500 miles from Copenhagen, 197 00:10:12,821 --> 00:10:17,074 an underground labyrinth became the lifeline of the battle. 198 00:10:17,075 --> 00:10:19,660 Between 1915 and 1917, 199 00:10:19,661 --> 00:10:23,705 Allied and German forces dug dozens of tunnels at Vimy Ridge. 200 00:10:23,706 --> 00:10:26,333 Early on, they were used to plant explosives 201 00:10:26,334 --> 00:10:28,293 or to counter enemy mining, 202 00:10:28,294 --> 00:10:31,755 with some reaching depths of over 130 feet. 203 00:10:31,756 --> 00:10:36,093 By late 1916, British tunneling companies began constructing 204 00:10:36,094 --> 00:10:38,846 13 communication tunnels, or subways, 205 00:10:38,847 --> 00:10:42,432 along the northern ridge to move troops and supplies 206 00:10:42,433 --> 00:10:43,976 to the front lines. 207 00:10:43,977 --> 00:10:47,980 Inside, these subways were fitted with power, water, 208 00:10:47,981 --> 00:10:49,273 and even light rail. 209 00:10:49,274 --> 00:10:52,442 They held cookhouses, reservoirs, medical posts, 210 00:10:52,443 --> 00:10:55,779 ammunition stores, and even communication centers. 211 00:10:55,780 --> 00:10:59,324 Above all, they provided shelter from German artillery 212 00:10:59,325 --> 00:11:00,868 and a relatively secure base 213 00:11:00,869 --> 00:11:03,620 for operations beneath the battlefield. 214 00:11:03,621 --> 00:11:07,249 The Grange Subway was one of the largest. 215 00:11:07,250 --> 00:11:11,628 Nearly a mile long and buried more than 25 feet underground, 216 00:11:11,629 --> 00:11:15,507 it was slightly arched, reinforced with wooden beams, 217 00:11:15,508 --> 00:11:20,804 and measured 5 feet wide and 6.5 feet high. 218 00:11:20,805 --> 00:11:24,349 In the 36 hours before the assault on Vimy Ridge, 219 00:11:24,350 --> 00:11:27,144 troops and ammunition moved through the subways 220 00:11:27,145 --> 00:11:28,645 toward the front. 221 00:11:28,646 --> 00:11:31,106 The Grange subway station alone 222 00:11:31,107 --> 00:11:33,650 held about 950 Canadian soldiers. 223 00:11:33,651 --> 00:11:39,531 And on April 9, 1917, nearly 10,000 Canadians emerged 224 00:11:39,532 --> 00:11:42,784 from the tunnels within striking distance of German lines. 225 00:11:42,785 --> 00:11:44,995 They were concealed until the last moment, 226 00:11:44,996 --> 00:11:48,165 and they seized that ridge in a surprise assault 227 00:11:48,166 --> 00:11:50,542 that was a decisive victory. 228 00:11:50,543 --> 00:11:52,419 I mean, it's Vimy Ridge. 229 00:11:52,420 --> 00:11:56,840 That is a defining chapter in Canada's history. 230 00:11:56,841 --> 00:11:59,384 The Copenhagen tunnel shares some similarities 231 00:11:59,385 --> 00:12:01,470 with those on the Western Front, 232 00:12:01,471 --> 00:12:03,764 and its position beneath the old ramparts 233 00:12:03,765 --> 00:12:07,184 adds weight to the theory of military escape. 234 00:12:07,185 --> 00:12:09,603 But the evidence complicates the picture. 235 00:12:09,604 --> 00:12:12,898 The timber lining dates to 1874, 236 00:12:12,899 --> 00:12:15,943 decades after the defenses were dismantled, 237 00:12:15,944 --> 00:12:19,238 and nothing like it has ever been found in the city. 238 00:12:19,239 --> 00:12:22,908 So whether it was privately commissioned, tied to smuggling, 239 00:12:22,909 --> 00:12:25,619 or meant for something else entirely, 240 00:12:25,620 --> 00:12:31,041 its true purpose remains a mystery, at least for now. 241 00:12:31,042 --> 00:12:34,211 Copenhagen has been bombarded, rebuilt, 242 00:12:34,212 --> 00:12:36,421 and reshaped for centuries. 243 00:12:36,422 --> 00:12:39,007 The city's history is well documented, 244 00:12:39,008 --> 00:12:41,718 but the Osterport tunnel is a reminder 245 00:12:41,719 --> 00:12:43,930 that it's still incomplete. 246 00:12:52,021 --> 00:12:54,147 Roughly 45 miles southeast 247 00:12:54,148 --> 00:12:55,565 of Richmond, Virginia, 248 00:12:55,566 --> 00:12:58,568 Williamsburg embodies both colonial authority 249 00:12:58,569 --> 00:13:02,072 and America's fight for independence. 250 00:13:02,073 --> 00:13:03,740 Virginia's colonial era stretched 251 00:13:03,741 --> 00:13:07,869 from the founding of Jamestown in 1607 to 1776, 252 00:13:07,870 --> 00:13:11,081 when Virginia, along with the rest of the 13 colonies, 253 00:13:11,082 --> 00:13:13,834 declared independence from Great Britain. 254 00:13:13,835 --> 00:13:16,962 {\an8}But Williamsburg's story began in the 1630s, 255 00:13:16,963 --> 00:13:20,007 {\an8}when English colonists established Middle Plantation, 256 00:13:20,008 --> 00:13:22,592 a fortified settlement between the James River 257 00:13:22,593 --> 00:13:23,927 and the York River. 258 00:13:23,928 --> 00:13:26,638 In 1676, Bacon's Rebellion erupted 259 00:13:26,639 --> 00:13:29,474 {\an8}as falling tobacco prices, mercantile restrictions, 260 00:13:29,475 --> 00:13:32,477 {\an8}natural disasters, and disputes with Native Americans 261 00:13:32,478 --> 00:13:34,104 fueled anger at the governor. 262 00:13:34,105 --> 00:13:37,649 Nathaniel Bacon's followers torched Jamestown Statehouse. 263 00:13:37,650 --> 00:13:40,110 And when the fire struck again in 1698, 264 00:13:40,111 --> 00:13:42,404 the capitol was moved to Middle Plantation. 265 00:13:42,405 --> 00:13:43,989 It was eventually renamed Williamsburg 266 00:13:43,990 --> 00:13:46,742 after King William III, and it became the center 267 00:13:46,743 --> 00:13:49,453 of Britain's largest American colony. 268 00:13:49,454 --> 00:13:50,787 {\an8}In the 18th century, 269 00:13:50,788 --> 00:13:54,124 {\an8}Williamsburg became a seat of learning and authority. 270 00:13:54,125 --> 00:13:56,334 Its main street served as a thoroughfare 271 00:13:56,335 --> 00:13:58,336 between the reconstructed capitol 272 00:13:58,337 --> 00:14:00,464 and the College of William and Mary, 273 00:14:00,465 --> 00:14:02,966 the first American college with a full faculty, 274 00:14:02,967 --> 00:14:06,011 a fraternity, and an honor system. 275 00:14:06,012 --> 00:14:10,015 But behind that image of refinement was a darker truth: 276 00:14:10,016 --> 00:14:14,478 roughly half the town's residents were enslaved. 277 00:14:14,479 --> 00:14:16,229 In the spring of 2025, 278 00:14:16,230 --> 00:14:19,399 beneath William and Mary's Robert M. Gates Hall, 279 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:21,902 formerly the Brown Hall dormitory, 280 00:14:21,903 --> 00:14:24,529 archaeologists uncover a hidden trace 281 00:14:24,530 --> 00:14:27,783 of Williamsburg's complicated past. 282 00:14:27,784 --> 00:14:30,952 Excavations uncovered the near-complete foundation 283 00:14:30,953 --> 00:14:36,124 of an 18th century structure and a previously undocumented cellar 284 00:14:36,125 --> 00:14:42,380 {\an8}measuring 36 by 18 feet with at least two floor levels. 285 00:14:42,381 --> 00:14:45,342 Even the chimney base survived intact. 286 00:14:45,343 --> 00:14:48,136 The cellar contained artifacts and everyday objects 287 00:14:48,137 --> 00:14:52,557 from across centuries, including pottery fragments, buttons, 288 00:14:52,558 --> 00:14:54,976 and even jewelry, which provided a glimpse 289 00:14:54,977 --> 00:14:59,064 into the lives of the people who once used this space. 290 00:14:59,065 --> 00:15:01,566 They also uncovered broaches, white clay pipes, 291 00:15:01,567 --> 00:15:03,652 even flatware with Greek motifs, 292 00:15:03,653 --> 00:15:06,822 and a glass shard depicting the Roman goddess Minerva. 293 00:15:06,823 --> 00:15:08,907 These likely belonged to the women's students who lived here 294 00:15:08,908 --> 00:15:11,910 in the 1920s and could have fallen through the floorboards, 295 00:15:11,911 --> 00:15:14,538 where they've remained for roughly a century. 296 00:15:14,539 --> 00:15:15,622 This wasn't the first time 297 00:15:15,623 --> 00:15:18,083 archaeologists have excavated here. 298 00:15:18,084 --> 00:15:20,585 Since 2012, they've uncovered outbuildings 299 00:15:20,586 --> 00:15:22,796 and other structures nearby, 300 00:15:22,797 --> 00:15:26,007 hinting at steady use in the colonial era. 301 00:15:26,008 --> 00:15:29,678 Now, with a foundation and cellar added to that record, 302 00:15:29,679 --> 00:15:32,222 the picture gets more complicated. 303 00:15:32,223 --> 00:15:34,099 What was this space really for? 304 00:15:34,100 --> 00:15:36,685 And how could these finds reshape what we know 305 00:15:36,686 --> 00:15:39,604 about America's early years? 306 00:15:39,605 --> 00:15:42,232 Between 2012 and 2014, 307 00:15:42,233 --> 00:15:44,985 excavations behind the former Brown Hall 308 00:15:44,986 --> 00:15:46,903 uncovered the partial foundations 309 00:15:46,904 --> 00:15:50,240 of two 18th century outbuildings. 310 00:15:50,241 --> 00:15:52,826 These were interpreted as a kitchen 311 00:15:52,827 --> 00:15:55,078 and a dairy or smokehouse, 312 00:15:55,079 --> 00:15:58,290 the kinds of service spaces you might expect 313 00:15:58,291 --> 00:16:02,043 behind domestic buildings in colonial Virginia. 314 00:16:02,044 --> 00:16:06,089 So maybe the foundation and cellar are remnants 315 00:16:06,090 --> 00:16:10,260 of a storage space in an ordinary home? 316 00:16:10,261 --> 00:16:12,679 In front of the site, archaeologists uncovered 317 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:14,764 a late 18th century well 318 00:16:14,765 --> 00:16:17,601 that remained in use into the 20th century. 319 00:16:17,602 --> 00:16:20,103 Excavations also revealed two small buildings, 320 00:16:20,104 --> 00:16:23,398 one 16 by 6 feet with a subfloor pit, 321 00:16:23,399 --> 00:16:25,066 the other eight by eight feet. 322 00:16:25,067 --> 00:16:27,861 Taken together with the most recent discoveries, 323 00:16:27,862 --> 00:16:30,447 these features suggest the land could have been used 324 00:16:30,448 --> 00:16:35,410 for storage, water access, and everyday work at a private home. 325 00:16:35,411 --> 00:16:37,954 The cellar itself was unlined, suggesting it was dug 326 00:16:37,955 --> 00:16:40,624 soon after the foundations were laid. 327 00:16:40,625 --> 00:16:42,000 Excavations also revealed its floor 328 00:16:42,001 --> 00:16:43,710 to be nearly 18 inches higher 329 00:16:43,711 --> 00:16:46,463 than documented in earlier investigations. 330 00:16:46,464 --> 00:16:49,674 Features of this size and form could be used to store food, 331 00:16:49,675 --> 00:16:52,010 taking advantage of cool, stable conditions. 332 00:16:52,011 --> 00:16:53,637 Tens of thousands of artifacts 333 00:16:53,638 --> 00:16:55,555 have come out of these excavations: 334 00:16:55,556 --> 00:17:00,018 animal bone, oyster shell, and fragments of German stoneware. 335 00:17:00,019 --> 00:17:02,729 But the presence of English salt-glazed stoneware, 336 00:17:02,730 --> 00:17:05,106 first produced around 1720, 337 00:17:05,107 --> 00:17:08,360 helps fix the date when the cellar was in use. 338 00:17:08,361 --> 00:17:13,198 Mixed in were glass shards, clay marbles, and even doll parts-- 339 00:17:13,199 --> 00:17:17,410 the kinds of everyday items you might expect in a household. 340 00:17:17,411 --> 00:17:20,997 In 2024, nearly 1,600 feet southeast 341 00:17:20,998 --> 00:17:23,250 of the Gates Hall site, 342 00:17:23,251 --> 00:17:25,794 a construction project for Colonial Williamsburg's 343 00:17:25,795 --> 00:17:31,049 new archaeology center uncovered another cellar. 344 00:17:31,050 --> 00:17:33,552 Two feet below what had been a parking lot 345 00:17:33,553 --> 00:17:38,640 since the 1960s, archaeologists uncovered the brick foundation 346 00:17:38,641 --> 00:17:44,104 of a 17th century home measuring 32 by 24 feet. 347 00:17:44,105 --> 00:17:48,191 The structure included a cellar, and about 40 feet away, 348 00:17:48,192 --> 00:17:51,361 they uncovered a 40-foot-deep well, 349 00:17:51,362 --> 00:17:56,032 which was still intact with its cap on it. 350 00:17:56,033 --> 00:17:59,035 Excavations unearthed Chinese export porcelain, 351 00:17:59,036 --> 00:18:02,163 teawares, dozens of clay wig curlers, 352 00:18:02,164 --> 00:18:05,250 leaded casement windows with diamond-shaped window glass, 353 00:18:05,251 --> 00:18:08,044 and the handle of a silver teaspoon. 354 00:18:08,045 --> 00:18:10,589 These finds indicate that it was a household 355 00:18:10,590 --> 00:18:13,216 of considerable wealth and status. 356 00:18:13,217 --> 00:18:14,843 It's believed that the house may have been built 357 00:18:14,844 --> 00:18:16,469 as early as 1660, 358 00:18:16,470 --> 00:18:19,306 when the area was still known as Middle Plantation, 359 00:18:19,307 --> 00:18:23,393 and that it remains standing into the 1720s or 1730s. 360 00:18:23,394 --> 00:18:26,313 Because it predates detailed 18th century maps, 361 00:18:26,314 --> 00:18:28,356 little is known about its occupants, 362 00:18:28,357 --> 00:18:31,568 but it now stands at the oldest documented colonial structure 363 00:18:31,569 --> 00:18:32,736 in the region. 364 00:18:32,737 --> 00:18:34,237 At the site beneath the parking lot, 365 00:18:34,238 --> 00:18:36,906 the evidence paints a pretty clear picture: 366 00:18:36,907 --> 00:18:39,951 a brick foundation, a cellar, and a well, 367 00:18:39,952 --> 00:18:43,330 all reinforced by artifacts from a wealthy household. 368 00:18:43,331 --> 00:18:46,833 While the Gates Hall site shares some similar features, 369 00:18:46,834 --> 00:18:49,044 the presence of other kinds of artifacts 370 00:18:49,045 --> 00:18:52,088 complicates the picture and forces us to consider 371 00:18:52,089 --> 00:18:55,967 other explanations about the site's purpose. 372 00:18:55,968 --> 00:18:58,928 The discoveries also open the possibility 373 00:18:58,929 --> 00:19:02,015 that this ground was once tied to the lives and labor 374 00:19:02,016 --> 00:19:05,560 of enslaved people in colonial Virginia. 375 00:19:05,561 --> 00:19:08,313 Enslaved Africans and their descendants 376 00:19:08,314 --> 00:19:12,275 made up a significant portion of Virginia's population, 377 00:19:12,276 --> 00:19:14,944 with most living in rural quarters 378 00:19:14,945 --> 00:19:17,447 beside the fields where they worked. 379 00:19:17,448 --> 00:19:22,118 A common feature of these dwellings was the subfloor pit 380 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:25,622 dug beneath the houses for the storage of food, 381 00:19:25,623 --> 00:19:28,416 personal items, and other purposes. 382 00:19:28,417 --> 00:19:32,671 So, given that context, could the foundation and cellar 383 00:19:32,672 --> 00:19:36,967 at Gates Hall be the remnants of an early plantation quarter? 384 00:19:39,387 --> 00:19:41,346 Subfloor pits were once thought to be 385 00:19:41,347 --> 00:19:45,100 simple storage features, but more recent research shows 386 00:19:45,101 --> 00:19:47,185 that they could serve multiple roles, 387 00:19:47,186 --> 00:19:49,354 including shrine-like spaces 388 00:19:49,355 --> 00:19:52,065 that echo West African traditions. 389 00:19:52,066 --> 00:19:55,652 In those traditions, ancestors were honored as intermediaries 390 00:19:55,653 --> 00:19:57,696 between the living and the divine. 391 00:19:57,697 --> 00:19:59,781 And pits like these may have been places 392 00:19:59,782 --> 00:20:02,450 where that connection was maintained. 393 00:20:02,451 --> 00:20:05,036 Many enslaved people on Virginia's lower peninsula 394 00:20:05,037 --> 00:20:06,996 came from the Bight of Biafra-- 395 00:20:06,997 --> 00:20:09,165 today's eastern Nigeria, Cameroon, 396 00:20:09,166 --> 00:20:11,751 Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. 397 00:20:11,752 --> 00:20:15,213 Excavations at 18th century slave sites have revealed pits 398 00:20:15,214 --> 00:20:19,008 filled with white stones, fossilized shells, chalk, 399 00:20:19,009 --> 00:20:21,720 intact wine bottles, and iron tools, 400 00:20:21,721 --> 00:20:22,887 along with oyster shells 401 00:20:22,888 --> 00:20:24,848 just like those recovered at Gates Hall. 402 00:20:24,849 --> 00:20:26,224 In West African traditions, 403 00:20:26,225 --> 00:20:29,310 such items carry deep symbolic meaning. 404 00:20:29,311 --> 00:20:30,770 Among the Gates Hall finds 405 00:20:30,771 --> 00:20:33,523 were fragments of Colonoware pottery, 406 00:20:33,524 --> 00:20:34,941 handmade vessels often made 407 00:20:34,942 --> 00:20:38,361 by enslaved and Indigenous communities in the U.S. 408 00:20:38,362 --> 00:20:41,072 from the mid 17th to the mid 19th century. 409 00:20:41,073 --> 00:20:44,242 Viewed alongside the cellar and nearby features, 410 00:20:44,243 --> 00:20:46,703 they suggest this ground may have once been connected 411 00:20:46,704 --> 00:20:48,329 to plantation labor 412 00:20:48,330 --> 00:20:51,791 and to the endurance of African cultural traditions. 413 00:20:51,792 --> 00:20:56,045 In 2021, over 100 miles northwest of Williamsburg 414 00:20:56,046 --> 00:20:58,214 in Arlington, Virginia, 415 00:20:58,215 --> 00:21:00,884 archaeologists uncover a subfloor pit 416 00:21:00,885 --> 00:21:03,219 used by an enslaved family, 417 00:21:03,220 --> 00:21:07,432 revealing traces of both daily life and spiritual practice. 418 00:21:07,433 --> 00:21:10,059 Archaeological work at Arlington House, 419 00:21:10,060 --> 00:21:14,522 which was a mansion built between 1802 and 1818 420 00:21:14,523 --> 00:21:19,068 to serve as the first memorial to George Washington, 421 00:21:19,069 --> 00:21:23,239 identified a subfloor pit cut beside the hearth 422 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:25,825 in the south slave quarters. 423 00:21:25,826 --> 00:21:29,120 Inside were four intact glass bottles, 424 00:21:29,121 --> 00:21:32,457 most likely linked to the family of Selina Gray, 425 00:21:32,458 --> 00:21:36,461 who was the second-generation enslaved person and maid 426 00:21:36,462 --> 00:21:39,839 to Robert E. Lee's wife. 427 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:41,216 The location of the pit 428 00:21:41,217 --> 00:21:43,968 and the arrangement of the bottles suggest that 429 00:21:43,969 --> 00:21:47,388 it functioned as a spiritual or religious shrine. 430 00:21:47,389 --> 00:21:49,474 All four were placed side by side 431 00:21:49,475 --> 00:21:51,351 with their openings facing north, 432 00:21:51,352 --> 00:21:54,062 a direction associated with freedom. 433 00:21:54,063 --> 00:21:56,272 Set north and east of the hearth, 434 00:21:56,273 --> 00:21:58,483 their placement may also be symbolic. 435 00:21:58,484 --> 00:22:03,696 East evokes sunrise and ancestral homelands in Africa. 436 00:22:03,697 --> 00:22:06,366 This was likely what's called a "spirit bundle," 437 00:22:06,367 --> 00:22:08,618 made up of conjuring bottles. 438 00:22:08,619 --> 00:22:11,579 These were used to ward off evil or cast spells 439 00:22:11,580 --> 00:22:13,122 or for self-preservation. 440 00:22:13,123 --> 00:22:16,209 They could also entrap harmful spirits, invoke powers, 441 00:22:16,210 --> 00:22:18,962 or act as talismans of resistance. 442 00:22:18,963 --> 00:22:20,630 These were small but powerful ways 443 00:22:20,631 --> 00:22:23,758 to confront the dehumanizing realities of slavery 444 00:22:23,759 --> 00:22:25,635 and to safeguard the future. 445 00:22:25,636 --> 00:22:28,388 The Arlington find shows how enslaved people 446 00:22:28,389 --> 00:22:31,850 carried Western African traditions into new settings, 447 00:22:31,851 --> 00:22:33,893 turning their quarters into sacred spaces 448 00:22:33,894 --> 00:22:36,604 of resilience and resistance. 449 00:22:36,605 --> 00:22:40,191 At Gates Hall, artifacts like Colonoware and oyster shell, 450 00:22:40,192 --> 00:22:42,151 along with the unlined cellar, 451 00:22:42,152 --> 00:22:44,988 suggest ties to enslaved life, too. 452 00:22:44,989 --> 00:22:46,614 Though without clear spiritual markers, 453 00:22:46,615 --> 00:22:49,325 the evidence may instead point to other aspects 454 00:22:49,326 --> 00:22:52,161 of daily life and survival. 455 00:22:52,162 --> 00:22:54,414 As the investigation of the site continues, 456 00:22:54,415 --> 00:22:58,167 the researchers find out that sometimes the smallest items 457 00:22:58,168 --> 00:23:00,336 tell the biggest story. 458 00:23:00,337 --> 00:23:04,465 They found nearly 50 fragments of slate pencils, 459 00:23:04,466 --> 00:23:07,886 more than at any other site in Williamsburg. 460 00:23:07,887 --> 00:23:12,265 In the 18th century, reading and writing were taught separately, 461 00:23:12,266 --> 00:23:15,685 with writing usually withheld from enslaved students. 462 00:23:15,686 --> 00:23:18,646 The concentration of writing implements 463 00:23:18,647 --> 00:23:23,026 considered alongside the other evidence strongly supports 464 00:23:23,027 --> 00:23:27,906 the identification of this site as the Williamsburg Bray School, 465 00:23:27,907 --> 00:23:31,868 one of the earliest schools for Black children in North America. 466 00:23:31,869 --> 00:23:35,663 It also suggests that its students may have practiced 467 00:23:35,664 --> 00:23:40,543 literacy in ways that went beyond the school's design. 468 00:23:40,544 --> 00:23:45,006 From 1760 to 1774, the school enrolled hundreds 469 00:23:45,007 --> 00:23:47,759 of enslaved and free Black children. 470 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:50,803 They studied reading, sewing, and catechism, 471 00:23:50,804 --> 00:23:53,139 all within a pro-slavery curriculum 472 00:23:53,140 --> 00:23:55,516 designed to foster obedience. 473 00:23:55,517 --> 00:23:57,185 For those who managed to learn writing, 474 00:23:57,186 --> 00:23:59,103 it could be very helpful. 475 00:23:59,104 --> 00:24:01,397 One could use it to forge a manumission document, 476 00:24:01,398 --> 00:24:03,816 which granted freedom, or it may have helped navigate 477 00:24:03,817 --> 00:24:07,403 escape routes or communicate with sympathetic individuals. 478 00:24:07,404 --> 00:24:11,199 In Virginia, ads designed to capture self-emancipated people 479 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:14,327 sometimes describe them as able to read or write. 480 00:24:14,328 --> 00:24:15,662 Interestingly, for decades, 481 00:24:15,663 --> 00:24:18,539 the Bray School building was thought destroyed. 482 00:24:18,540 --> 00:24:21,084 Originally built on North Boundary Street, 483 00:24:21,085 --> 00:24:24,253 it was moved to Prince George Street in 1930 484 00:24:24,254 --> 00:24:27,423 and later absorbed into William and Mary's campus, 485 00:24:27,424 --> 00:24:30,927 where renovations obscured its 18th century core. 486 00:24:30,928 --> 00:24:34,514 In 2020, researchers tested the timbers of the building, 487 00:24:34,515 --> 00:24:39,435 which confirmed it dated to late 1759 or early 1760. 488 00:24:39,436 --> 00:24:42,230 This aligned perfectly with the school's opening 489 00:24:42,231 --> 00:24:45,858 in September 1760, and proved that it had been 490 00:24:45,859 --> 00:24:48,695 hiding in plain sight all along. 491 00:24:48,696 --> 00:24:50,655 The foundations beneath Gates Hall 492 00:24:50,656 --> 00:24:54,283 reveal how a system built to deny humanity 493 00:24:54,284 --> 00:24:57,370 inadvertently seeded new claims to it-- 494 00:24:57,371 --> 00:25:00,164 a legacy of literacy and defiance 495 00:25:00,165 --> 00:25:02,793 that reshaped the course of the nation. 496 00:25:11,093 --> 00:25:13,428 Over 60 miles west of Helsinki, 497 00:25:13,429 --> 00:25:16,514 in southwestern Finland, lies Salo, 498 00:25:16,515 --> 00:25:20,810 a town defined by its forests, rivers, and a long history 499 00:25:20,811 --> 00:25:23,479 of exchange and settlement. 500 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:26,524 The name Salo means "woodland" or "wooded island," 501 00:25:26,525 --> 00:25:28,735 so it got its name as a reference 502 00:25:28,736 --> 00:25:31,112 to its forested terrain. 503 00:25:31,113 --> 00:25:34,198 People first reached Finland around 9,000 years ago, 504 00:25:34,199 --> 00:25:36,492 drawn by rich hunting and fishing grounds. 505 00:25:36,493 --> 00:25:38,703 By the Viking Age, the southwest coast near Salo 506 00:25:38,704 --> 00:25:41,497 lay on the edge of trade routes leading into Russia. 507 00:25:41,498 --> 00:25:44,333 {\an8}Local communities supplied furs, while Swedes, Danes, 508 00:25:44,334 --> 00:25:48,671 {\an8}and others passed through as traders, or raiders. 509 00:25:48,672 --> 00:25:50,339 {\an8}From the 12th century onward, 510 00:25:50,340 --> 00:25:53,509 {\an8}Finland became a frontier between two worlds. 511 00:25:53,510 --> 00:25:55,678 Sweden pressed Catholic conversion 512 00:25:55,679 --> 00:25:58,347 and political control from the west, 513 00:25:58,348 --> 00:26:00,516 while Novgorod in northwestern Russia 514 00:26:00,517 --> 00:26:04,020 advanced Orthodox influence from the east. 515 00:26:04,021 --> 00:26:05,521 By the mid 13th century, 516 00:26:05,522 --> 00:26:09,192 Swedish castles anchored the south into their realm, 517 00:26:09,193 --> 00:26:12,487 while the eastern frontier remained contested. 518 00:26:12,488 --> 00:26:15,364 In 2023, after a rainy day, 519 00:26:15,365 --> 00:26:17,617 a landowner installing geothermal pipes 520 00:26:17,618 --> 00:26:20,787 on his property in Salo notices something strange 521 00:26:20,788 --> 00:26:26,417 sticking out of the ground and decides to take a closer look. 522 00:26:26,418 --> 00:26:28,377 {\an8} The piece of iron turned out to be 523 00:26:28,378 --> 00:26:31,964 {\an8}an ancient 12th century sword, with a straight hilt, 524 00:26:31,965 --> 00:26:36,344 a crossguard, and a three-sided knob known as a pommel. 525 00:26:36,345 --> 00:26:39,889 Remarkably, the sword's sheath was also recovered. 526 00:26:39,890 --> 00:26:43,392 An incredible find after centuries underground. 527 00:26:43,393 --> 00:26:46,187 Further excavation revealed human bones, 528 00:26:46,188 --> 00:26:49,148 fragments of clothing, blade pieces, 529 00:26:49,149 --> 00:26:51,943 {\an8}and traces of a wooden coffin. 530 00:26:51,944 --> 00:26:54,946 {\an8}Most striking was a partially intact leather belt 531 00:26:54,947 --> 00:26:58,908 fitted with 30 bronze ornaments, decorated with rosettes, 532 00:26:58,909 --> 00:27:02,703 along with animal head buckles and strap dividers. 533 00:27:02,704 --> 00:27:05,540 All of these objects came from a single grave, 534 00:27:05,541 --> 00:27:08,960 but as excavations continued, eight burials emerged. 535 00:27:08,961 --> 00:27:12,547 It's believed there could be dozens, even up to 200 others. 536 00:27:12,548 --> 00:27:14,132 So who was buried here? 537 00:27:14,133 --> 00:27:15,758 And what can this burial ground tell us 538 00:27:15,759 --> 00:27:19,137 about Finland's early history of belief and identity? 539 00:27:19,138 --> 00:27:21,639 Researchers suspect the bones and artifacts 540 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:26,435 date to between 1050 and 1150 CE. 541 00:27:26,436 --> 00:27:29,105 The site may simply reflect Iron Age Finland's 542 00:27:29,106 --> 00:27:31,732 long tradition of weapon burials, 543 00:27:31,733 --> 00:27:33,442 where elite men were laid to rest 544 00:27:33,443 --> 00:27:37,280 with swords, spears, and other symbols of rank. 545 00:27:37,281 --> 00:27:39,448 With dozens or hundreds of graves, 546 00:27:39,449 --> 00:27:42,618 perhaps this was a cemetery where warrior identity 547 00:27:42,619 --> 00:27:45,788 was reinforced across generations. 548 00:27:45,789 --> 00:27:47,957 At this time, weapon burials reflected 549 00:27:47,958 --> 00:27:52,003 the warrior ideology and the male norms of the era. 550 00:27:52,004 --> 00:27:53,629 They also signaled status, 551 00:27:53,630 --> 00:27:56,716 serving as a way for emerging elites to display power 552 00:27:56,717 --> 00:27:58,718 during periods of instability, 553 00:27:58,719 --> 00:28:01,429 while reinforcing authority among the living 554 00:28:01,430 --> 00:28:04,473 and sanctifying the cemetery itself. 555 00:28:04,474 --> 00:28:07,476 With the Salo Sword dating to an age of religious upheaval 556 00:28:07,477 --> 00:28:10,938 in Finland, its presence, along with the belt, 557 00:28:10,939 --> 00:28:14,650 may reflect an Iron Age tradition of using burial rites 558 00:28:14,651 --> 00:28:18,195 to assert power at moments of transition. 559 00:28:18,196 --> 00:28:21,699 In 1968, workers digging for a water pipe 560 00:28:21,700 --> 00:28:26,078 in Hattula, Finland, just over 60 miles northeast of Salo, 561 00:28:26,079 --> 00:28:29,498 accidentally uncovered an early medieval gravesite 562 00:28:29,499 --> 00:28:33,920 dating to between 1050 and 1300 CE. 563 00:28:33,921 --> 00:28:36,881 The Suontaka Grave, as it became known, 564 00:28:36,882 --> 00:28:39,634 contained brooches linked to female dress 565 00:28:39,635 --> 00:28:43,638 alongside two swords, including one with a bronze hilt, 566 00:28:43,639 --> 00:28:46,599 which is typically wielded by men. 567 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:50,227 This combination puzzled archaeologists for decades. 568 00:28:50,228 --> 00:28:52,688 Some saw it as proof of a powerful woman 569 00:28:52,689 --> 00:28:54,982 who might have been a warrior, while others argued 570 00:28:54,983 --> 00:28:58,319 it was a double burial of a man and a woman. 571 00:28:58,320 --> 00:28:59,737 The individual at Suontaka 572 00:28:59,738 --> 00:29:01,822 was clearly someone of high standing. 573 00:29:01,823 --> 00:29:04,450 They were dressed in wool garments and animal pelts 574 00:29:04,451 --> 00:29:06,827 and laid to rest on a feather blanket with furs. 575 00:29:06,828 --> 00:29:09,080 Notably, the ornate bronze-hilted sword 576 00:29:09,081 --> 00:29:12,416 was added to the grave after the original burial, 577 00:29:12,417 --> 00:29:13,793 an act that may have shown reverence 578 00:29:13,794 --> 00:29:15,962 for the person long after death. 579 00:29:15,963 --> 00:29:20,549 A DNA analysis in 2021 found the Suontaka individual 580 00:29:20,550 --> 00:29:23,219 may have had Klinefelter syndrome, 581 00:29:23,220 --> 00:29:25,680 meaning XXY chromosomes. 582 00:29:25,681 --> 00:29:29,392 The condition can involve traits including lower testosterone, 583 00:29:29,393 --> 00:29:32,395 reduced body hair, or breast development, 584 00:29:32,396 --> 00:29:34,981 which may have set them apart in life. 585 00:29:34,982 --> 00:29:37,316 This challenges earlier assumptions 586 00:29:37,317 --> 00:29:40,736 about rigid gender roles in medieval Finland, 587 00:29:40,737 --> 00:29:42,989 and may indicate that people who did not fit 588 00:29:42,990 --> 00:29:46,409 traditional categories could still hold respected, 589 00:29:46,410 --> 00:29:49,537 even honored positions within their communities. 590 00:29:49,538 --> 00:29:51,998 We don't know how the Suontaka individual 591 00:29:51,999 --> 00:29:55,501 identified in life, but the burial shows that weapons 592 00:29:55,502 --> 00:29:59,588 could symbolize status, respect, and admiration 593 00:29:59,589 --> 00:30:03,259 in ways that may not be so straightforward. 594 00:30:03,260 --> 00:30:07,847 At Salo, the sword and belt may indeed signify warrior burials, 595 00:30:07,848 --> 00:30:11,100 but they could also point to other forms of status or esteem 596 00:30:11,101 --> 00:30:12,643 within the community. 597 00:30:12,644 --> 00:30:14,770 Given the broader historical context 598 00:30:14,771 --> 00:30:16,814 and other details at the site, 599 00:30:16,815 --> 00:30:19,108 we may have to look at possibilities 600 00:30:19,109 --> 00:30:20,944 beyond martial rank alone. 601 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:24,697 As the researchers continue their investigation, 602 00:30:24,698 --> 00:30:26,824 they can't help but notice that the sword 603 00:30:26,825 --> 00:30:29,326 appears to have been damaged. 604 00:30:29,327 --> 00:30:31,162 In Iron Age cremation graves, 605 00:30:31,163 --> 00:30:35,249 weapons were often bent, broken, or fire-patinated. 606 00:30:35,250 --> 00:30:38,669 This was a ritual killing or destruction of the weapons, 607 00:30:38,670 --> 00:30:41,088 and it was done to ensure that the object 608 00:30:41,089 --> 00:30:42,882 went with the deceased; 609 00:30:42,883 --> 00:30:45,593 or it could have been done to guard the living 610 00:30:45,594 --> 00:30:47,928 from the return of the dead. 611 00:30:47,929 --> 00:30:50,639 Between the 11th and 15th centuries CE, 612 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:51,891 burial customs in Finland 613 00:30:51,892 --> 00:30:55,019 gradually shifted from cremation to inhumation. 614 00:30:55,020 --> 00:30:56,854 Across Scandinavia, this marked the move 615 00:30:56,855 --> 00:30:58,647 from paganism to Christianity, 616 00:30:58,648 --> 00:31:01,817 but in Finland, the process of Christianization was slower. 617 00:31:01,818 --> 00:31:04,570 That raises the possibility that the Salo burials, 618 00:31:04,571 --> 00:31:08,157 outwardly Christian in form, concealed older rituals; 619 00:31:08,158 --> 00:31:12,912 a quiet negotiation with or even resistance to the new faith. 620 00:31:12,913 --> 00:31:14,872 For much of the Finnish Iron Age, 621 00:31:14,873 --> 00:31:17,166 cremation was the dominant custom, 622 00:31:17,167 --> 00:31:20,920 often in large, below-ground collective cemeteries 623 00:31:20,921 --> 00:31:23,756 where individuals are hard to distinguish. 624 00:31:23,757 --> 00:31:26,342 But for centuries, you have this kind of overlap 625 00:31:26,343 --> 00:31:30,554 when inhumation and cremation are practiced simultaneously, 626 00:31:30,555 --> 00:31:33,474 sometimes even within the same cemetery. 627 00:31:33,475 --> 00:31:36,352 The result is a complicated burial record, 628 00:31:36,353 --> 00:31:37,603 and that ambiguity can shape 629 00:31:37,604 --> 00:31:40,856 how we interpret the inhumations at Salo. 630 00:31:40,857 --> 00:31:45,820 Nearly 200 miles west at Gamla Uppsala in Sweden, 631 00:31:45,821 --> 00:31:50,074 two Viking Age boat burials revealed the same tension-- 632 00:31:50,075 --> 00:31:52,076 pagan traditions carried forward 633 00:31:52,077 --> 00:31:56,205 even as Christianity began to take root. 634 00:31:56,206 --> 00:31:59,667 One boat was damaged, but the other lay intact. 635 00:31:59,668 --> 00:32:02,837 Findings included a man buried in the stern, 636 00:32:02,838 --> 00:32:04,839 a horse and dog in the bow, 637 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:09,927 a sword, a spear, shield, and even an ornate comb. 638 00:32:09,928 --> 00:32:12,263 Most remarkable though is that in a region 639 00:32:12,264 --> 00:32:15,683 where cremation had been the norm for centuries, 640 00:32:15,684 --> 00:32:20,062 the bodies and boats were left unburned. 641 00:32:20,063 --> 00:32:23,023 Boat burials were a hallmark of pagan tradition. 642 00:32:23,024 --> 00:32:26,527 The animal offerings and weapons followed that older pattern, 643 00:32:26,528 --> 00:32:28,904 signaling status as well as belief 644 00:32:28,905 --> 00:32:31,490 in the customary way of doing things. 645 00:32:31,491 --> 00:32:35,744 But the decision not to cremate likely reflects the layering 646 00:32:35,745 --> 00:32:39,498 of a new Christian influence onto this ritual. 647 00:32:39,499 --> 00:32:43,085 At Salo, that type of hybridity isn't as clear. 648 00:32:43,086 --> 00:32:46,130 Burial practices varied widely across Scandinavia, 649 00:32:46,131 --> 00:32:49,008 and while the bent sword recalls older Finnish customs, 650 00:32:49,009 --> 00:32:50,885 it may have been an isolated gesture 651 00:32:50,886 --> 00:32:52,386 rather than evidence of a community 652 00:32:52,387 --> 00:32:53,971 resisting Christianity, 653 00:32:53,972 --> 00:32:56,849 suggesting the cemetery could represent a different stage 654 00:32:56,850 --> 00:32:58,851 in Finland's Christianization. 655 00:32:58,852 --> 00:33:01,937 One of the strongest clues comes not from the soil, 656 00:33:01,938 --> 00:33:04,523 but from what still stands above it. 657 00:33:04,524 --> 00:33:08,277 The cemetery sits beside a medieval stone church 658 00:33:08,278 --> 00:33:10,613 dated to the 15th century. 659 00:33:10,614 --> 00:33:12,990 In Finland, once Christianity took hold, 660 00:33:12,991 --> 00:33:16,785 cemeteries were moved close to the first churches. 661 00:33:16,786 --> 00:33:19,955 If burials here date to the 11th or 12th century, 662 00:33:19,956 --> 00:33:22,875 it points to a much earlier church presence in the region 663 00:33:22,876 --> 00:33:24,710 than previously thought. 664 00:33:24,711 --> 00:33:27,796 So Salo may offer some of the clearest evidence yet 665 00:33:27,797 --> 00:33:30,799 of Christianity taking root in this area. 666 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:34,053 But the question remains, were these local converts 667 00:33:34,054 --> 00:33:37,932 or outsiders tied to the Crusader campaigns? 668 00:33:37,933 --> 00:33:40,809 The Crusader era in Finland refers to the period 669 00:33:40,810 --> 00:33:43,896 when Christianity spread under Swedish influence, 670 00:33:43,897 --> 00:33:47,483 often associated with the so-called First Swedish Crusade 671 00:33:47,484 --> 00:33:49,318 in the 1150s. 672 00:33:49,319 --> 00:33:52,655 Whether that Crusade actually took place is uncertain. 673 00:33:52,656 --> 00:33:54,365 There's no archaeological evidence, 674 00:33:54,366 --> 00:33:57,993 and the first written accounts come more than a century later. 675 00:33:57,994 --> 00:34:01,705 What we do know is that during the 12th and 13th centuries, 676 00:34:01,706 --> 00:34:03,749 the Swedish Crown and the Catholic Church 677 00:34:03,750 --> 00:34:06,377 carried out campaigns that gradually expanded 678 00:34:06,378 --> 00:34:08,879 their authority across Finland. 679 00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:10,130 Against that backdrop, 680 00:34:10,131 --> 00:34:13,217 the sword from Salo takes on new significance. 681 00:34:13,218 --> 00:34:16,387 Its three-sided oval pommel is a form consistent 682 00:34:16,388 --> 00:34:20,057 with what a Swedish crusader would have carried into battle. 683 00:34:20,058 --> 00:34:23,644 And the preliminary dating places it right at the threshold 684 00:34:23,645 --> 00:34:26,939 of that period of Christian expansion. 685 00:34:26,940 --> 00:34:29,024 X-ray analysis revealed an inscription 686 00:34:29,025 --> 00:34:32,278 interpreted as "in the name of Jesus Christ." 687 00:34:32,279 --> 00:34:34,989 Considered alongside the weapon's form and date, 688 00:34:34,990 --> 00:34:37,574 it points to a clear connection between Salo 689 00:34:37,575 --> 00:34:40,119 and the expanding world of Christian Europe. 690 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:42,121 This is the first confirmed grave field 691 00:34:42,122 --> 00:34:45,374 in the Salo region from the end of the Iron Age to be found 692 00:34:45,375 --> 00:34:49,545 in such close proximity to a medieval stone church. 693 00:34:49,546 --> 00:34:50,546 What we know so far 694 00:34:50,547 --> 00:34:52,798 points to overlapping traditions. 695 00:34:52,799 --> 00:34:56,969 Elite display, blended customs, and crusader influence. 696 00:34:56,970 --> 00:35:00,889 But who these people were and what their burials truly reveal 697 00:35:00,890 --> 00:35:05,269 about Finland's passage into a new faith remains unclear. 698 00:35:05,270 --> 00:35:06,937 Recent work on the site has revealed 699 00:35:06,938 --> 00:35:09,189 important new details. 700 00:35:09,190 --> 00:35:12,735 Radiocarbon dating dates the burial to the Crusade period, 701 00:35:12,736 --> 00:35:16,071 between 1025 and 1200 CE, 702 00:35:16,072 --> 00:35:18,240 falling late within Finland's Iron Age, 703 00:35:18,241 --> 00:35:23,370 which spanned roughly 500 BCE to 1200 CE. 704 00:35:23,371 --> 00:35:25,122 Further investigation of the site 705 00:35:25,123 --> 00:35:27,207 has been limited by resources, 706 00:35:27,208 --> 00:35:29,043 but archaeologists hope to carry out 707 00:35:29,044 --> 00:35:33,797 DNA and strontium isotope analysis in the future. 708 00:35:33,798 --> 00:35:37,092 At Salo, a sword, a belt, and bones 709 00:35:37,093 --> 00:35:41,013 trace the tension between belief and change; 710 00:35:41,014 --> 00:35:43,557 evidence of a community in transition, 711 00:35:43,558 --> 00:35:46,727 but leaving us unsure of the status or role 712 00:35:46,728 --> 00:35:49,230 these graves were meant to express. 713 00:35:56,112 --> 00:35:57,404 In southern Wales, 714 00:35:57,405 --> 00:36:00,574 about 10 miles from the capital city of Cardiff, 715 00:36:00,575 --> 00:36:03,369 is the stunning Fonmon Castle. 716 00:36:03,370 --> 00:36:07,039 Fonmon Castle is a medieval fortress built in 1180 717 00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:10,000 and nestled in Wales's Vale of Glamorgan. 718 00:36:10,001 --> 00:36:11,960 {\an8}It was built by the St. John family, 719 00:36:11,961 --> 00:36:15,255 {\an8}but changed hands when it was sold to Colonel Philip Jones 720 00:36:15,256 --> 00:36:18,300 during the English Civil War between the Royalists 721 00:36:18,301 --> 00:36:21,261 and Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentarians. 722 00:36:21,262 --> 00:36:23,138 {\an8} A lot of Welsh castles were destroyed in the war, 723 00:36:23,139 --> 00:36:25,140 {\an8}but Fonmon Castle survived. 724 00:36:25,141 --> 00:36:27,142 {\an8}It was modified later on during the Georgian era, 725 00:36:27,143 --> 00:36:30,312 but you can still find features from the original fortress, 726 00:36:30,313 --> 00:36:35,901 like defensive ditches and slits for archers. 727 00:36:35,902 --> 00:36:37,945 In 2019, the castle was bought 728 00:36:37,946 --> 00:36:40,197 {\an8}by a wealthy Welsh businessman 729 00:36:40,198 --> 00:36:42,991 {\an8}who turned the castle into a public attraction, 730 00:36:42,992 --> 00:36:46,495 complete with historical tours, medieval reenactments, 731 00:36:46,496 --> 00:36:49,164 and a menagerie of wild animals. 732 00:36:49,165 --> 00:36:52,126 In 2021, the castle's new owner is interested 733 00:36:52,127 --> 00:36:55,129 in knowing more about his centuries-old residence 734 00:36:55,130 --> 00:36:58,298 and extends an invitation to archaeological researchers 735 00:36:58,299 --> 00:37:00,634 from the nearby Cardiff University 736 00:37:00,635 --> 00:37:02,928 to survey the castle grounds. 737 00:37:02,929 --> 00:37:05,639 In a field close to an airport runway, 738 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:09,435 there appeared to be the remnants of a farmstead. 739 00:37:09,436 --> 00:37:12,187 {\an8}But when the topsoil was slowly brushed away, 740 00:37:12,188 --> 00:37:15,691 {\an8}something far more intriguing was revealed. 741 00:37:15,692 --> 00:37:20,529 A cluster of graves began to emerge from the soil. 742 00:37:20,530 --> 00:37:24,074 What's remarkable is that these burial plots 743 00:37:24,075 --> 00:37:29,329 were cut right into the limestone bedrock. 744 00:37:29,330 --> 00:37:32,374 41 sets of human remains were uncovered. 745 00:37:32,375 --> 00:37:34,918 There were two children, there was one adult male, 746 00:37:34,919 --> 00:37:37,796 and the other 38 bodies were those of women. 747 00:37:37,797 --> 00:37:39,715 Now, a lot of the bodies were carefully posed 748 00:37:39,716 --> 00:37:41,383 in specific burial postures. 749 00:37:41,384 --> 00:37:43,802 Sometimes they were curled up or crouching, 750 00:37:43,803 --> 00:37:45,262 often lying on their side 751 00:37:45,263 --> 00:37:47,222 with their knees tucked into their chests. 752 00:37:47,223 --> 00:37:50,184 But one woman was buried differently. 753 00:37:50,185 --> 00:37:53,061 Unlike all the others, she seems to have been basically 754 00:37:53,062 --> 00:37:58,942 just tossed into a ditch with no apparent care at all. 755 00:37:58,943 --> 00:38:01,236 Surveys of the area showed ditches 756 00:38:01,237 --> 00:38:05,240 surrounded the graves, which suggested that these graves 757 00:38:05,241 --> 00:38:08,202 made up a community cemetery. 758 00:38:08,203 --> 00:38:12,289 Some graves contained shards of glass and pottery. 759 00:38:12,290 --> 00:38:14,875 Animal bones were also found in the soil, 760 00:38:14,876 --> 00:38:16,919 many of which appeared to show signs 761 00:38:16,920 --> 00:38:19,254 of being butchered and cooked. 762 00:38:19,255 --> 00:38:21,340 So who were these people, 763 00:38:21,341 --> 00:38:26,094 and why do the majority of the remains belong to women? 764 00:38:26,095 --> 00:38:28,430 Dating of the bones is cross-referenced 765 00:38:28,431 --> 00:38:31,767 with the style of the glass and pottery found on the site, 766 00:38:31,768 --> 00:38:37,272 placing the cemetery between the 6th and 7th centuries CE. 767 00:38:37,273 --> 00:38:39,650 The almost uniformly female occupants 768 00:38:39,651 --> 00:38:41,568 of the cemetery could suggest 769 00:38:41,569 --> 00:38:46,281 it belonged to a local nunnery or religious community. 770 00:38:46,282 --> 00:38:48,992 The rise of Celtic Christianity led to the establishment 771 00:38:48,993 --> 00:38:52,579 of monastic learning centers across the country. 772 00:38:52,580 --> 00:38:55,457 A subatomic analysis of tooth enamel determines 773 00:38:55,458 --> 00:38:58,961 that these individuals had a diet high in carbohydrates, 774 00:38:58,962 --> 00:39:04,091 but low in meat protein, with a complete absence of fish. 775 00:39:04,092 --> 00:39:06,176 Within the context of a religious community, 776 00:39:06,177 --> 00:39:07,594 there may have been strict rules 777 00:39:07,595 --> 00:39:10,305 around the consumption of meat products. 778 00:39:10,306 --> 00:39:13,308 That and the signs of hard labor on the skeletons 779 00:39:13,309 --> 00:39:15,936 align with the rules of monastic life 780 00:39:15,937 --> 00:39:17,396 within the Celtic tradition. 781 00:39:17,397 --> 00:39:19,982 In this scenario, the single male skeleton 782 00:39:19,983 --> 00:39:22,860 may have been a visiting patron or priest, 783 00:39:22,861 --> 00:39:24,319 while the woman tossed in the ditch 784 00:39:24,320 --> 00:39:28,490 may have been excommunicated and denied a proper burial. 785 00:39:28,491 --> 00:39:30,784 Early medieval monasteries were often 786 00:39:30,785 --> 00:39:33,912 powerful and rich institutions. 787 00:39:33,913 --> 00:39:37,332 Whitby Abbey, for example, was one of the most important 788 00:39:37,333 --> 00:39:41,545 religious centers in Britain during the 7th century. 789 00:39:41,546 --> 00:39:44,548 It was home to both nuns and monks, 790 00:39:44,549 --> 00:39:49,344 but its founder was a powerful abbess named Saint Hilda. 791 00:39:49,345 --> 00:39:53,015 Under her leadership, Whitby greatly enriched itself 792 00:39:53,016 --> 00:39:55,100 and even maintained connections 793 00:39:55,101 --> 00:39:58,228 to the royal Northumbrian family. 794 00:39:58,229 --> 00:40:02,524 The women buried at Fonmon may have had a similar accumulation 795 00:40:02,525 --> 00:40:04,192 of wealth and influence, 796 00:40:04,193 --> 00:40:07,529 which could explain the fine glass and pottery 797 00:40:07,530 --> 00:40:09,406 found at the site. 798 00:40:09,407 --> 00:40:10,657 But putting aside the fact 799 00:40:10,658 --> 00:40:14,077 it's rare to find evidence of nunneries in Wales, 800 00:40:14,078 --> 00:40:15,329 if these burial grounds 801 00:40:15,330 --> 00:40:18,457 belong to a powerful religious institution, 802 00:40:18,458 --> 00:40:21,919 where are the signifiers or markers of the Christian faith? 803 00:40:21,920 --> 00:40:23,128 There's a complete absence 804 00:40:23,129 --> 00:40:25,631 of religious insignias or artifacts. 805 00:40:25,632 --> 00:40:29,468 No crosses or inscribed stones were found on the site, 806 00:40:29,469 --> 00:40:31,303 which would understandably be present 807 00:40:31,304 --> 00:40:35,015 if these graves represented ritualistic Christian burials 808 00:40:35,016 --> 00:40:36,391 from this period. 809 00:40:36,392 --> 00:40:38,685 Along with the rise of Christianity, 810 00:40:38,686 --> 00:40:42,272 this era in Welsh history was marked by calamity, 811 00:40:42,273 --> 00:40:47,361 thanks to a silent killer that had arrived on its shores. 812 00:40:47,362 --> 00:40:49,237 Historical records indicate 813 00:40:49,238 --> 00:40:53,200 that the Justinian Plague landed in Wales in the year 547, 814 00:40:53,201 --> 00:40:56,161 killing the ruler of the Kingdom of Gwynedd. 815 00:40:56,162 --> 00:40:58,747 It's conceivable that these people at the Fonmon site 816 00:40:58,748 --> 00:41:01,750 had fallen victim to a catastrophic epidemic. 817 00:41:01,751 --> 00:41:04,294 The disease may have overwhelmingly afflicted 818 00:41:04,295 --> 00:41:05,671 the women in this community, 819 00:41:05,672 --> 00:41:08,340 or perhaps these women had cared for the sick 820 00:41:08,341 --> 00:41:11,635 before contracting the plague themselves. 821 00:41:11,636 --> 00:41:14,763 The Justinian Plague and the more infamous 822 00:41:14,764 --> 00:41:17,182 Black Plague 800 years later 823 00:41:17,183 --> 00:41:22,062 actually share the same bacterium, Yersinia pestis. 824 00:41:22,063 --> 00:41:24,982 Using something called archaeogenic testing, 825 00:41:24,983 --> 00:41:29,277 England's Edix Hill Cemetery was the first site in Britain 826 00:41:29,278 --> 00:41:33,365 to definitely show evidence of Yersinia pestis. 827 00:41:33,366 --> 00:41:34,783 Like the Fonmon Cemetery, 828 00:41:34,784 --> 00:41:37,995 it contained human remains from the 6th century, 829 00:41:37,996 --> 00:41:41,581 and while some of the graves contained multiple burials, 830 00:41:41,582 --> 00:41:45,711 Edix Hill is not simply a chaotic mass grave 831 00:41:45,712 --> 00:41:47,504 inside a single pit. 832 00:41:47,505 --> 00:41:49,131 Given the fear of the plague, 833 00:41:49,132 --> 00:41:51,299 it seems incredible that the Fonmon community 834 00:41:51,300 --> 00:41:54,553 would have engaged in funeral meals at the burial site 835 00:41:54,554 --> 00:41:58,223 of members who had died from exposure to the deadly disease. 836 00:41:58,224 --> 00:41:59,599 But the real issue with the plague theory 837 00:41:59,600 --> 00:42:02,227 is that unlike the Edix Hill Cemetery, 838 00:42:02,228 --> 00:42:05,522 there's been no reported evidence of Yersinia pestis 839 00:42:05,523 --> 00:42:09,109 on any of the human remains at the Fonmon site. 840 00:42:09,110 --> 00:42:11,695 DNA analysis may one day change this, 841 00:42:11,696 --> 00:42:14,614 but for now, we just don't know for sure. 842 00:42:14,615 --> 00:42:16,533 What does seem likely, however, 843 00:42:16,534 --> 00:42:18,410 is the well-connected social status 844 00:42:18,411 --> 00:42:21,496 of the community members who were buried here. 845 00:42:21,497 --> 00:42:24,166 The radiocarbon dating suggests these remains 846 00:42:24,167 --> 00:42:26,418 span multiple generations. 847 00:42:26,419 --> 00:42:29,629 Carving their graves right out of the limestone bedrock 848 00:42:29,630 --> 00:42:32,174 would have been a monumental undertaking, 849 00:42:32,175 --> 00:42:34,051 but the people buried here were apparently held 850 00:42:34,052 --> 00:42:38,555 in high enough esteem by their community to justify the labor. 851 00:42:38,556 --> 00:42:40,557 An analysis of the glass shards determined 852 00:42:40,558 --> 00:42:44,811 that the material had originated in what is now Egypt and Syria. 853 00:42:44,812 --> 00:42:49,274 The pottery was also determined to have come from North Africa. 854 00:42:49,275 --> 00:42:51,818 So this group at Fonmon would've had to have 855 00:42:51,819 --> 00:42:56,198 considerable resources, either economic or even just social, 856 00:42:56,199 --> 00:42:59,451 in order to acquire goods from that far away. 857 00:42:59,452 --> 00:43:02,287 But how do we explain the fact that the majority of the people 858 00:43:02,288 --> 00:43:05,624 who were buried at Fonmon are women? 859 00:43:05,625 --> 00:43:08,335 It's very likely that the women 860 00:43:08,336 --> 00:43:11,546 played a leadership role in this community. 861 00:43:11,547 --> 00:43:15,717 Published in 2025, genetic testing conducted on individuals 862 00:43:15,718 --> 00:43:18,762 buried in cemeteries in Dorset, England, 863 00:43:18,763 --> 00:43:21,556 revealed a strong maternal lineage 864 00:43:21,557 --> 00:43:23,475 in that Celtic community, 865 00:43:23,476 --> 00:43:27,729 with men primarily marrying into the community from outside. 866 00:43:27,730 --> 00:43:29,231 The evidence of physical labor 867 00:43:29,232 --> 00:43:31,566 found on the remains could be an indicator 868 00:43:31,567 --> 00:43:36,571 {\an8}of how this family or community built its fortune. 869 00:43:36,572 --> 00:43:38,657 {\an8} Even the most compelling explanation 870 00:43:38,658 --> 00:43:42,536 {\an8}for the Fonmon Cemetery leaves many questions unanswered. 871 00:43:42,537 --> 00:43:45,288 {\an8}But the excavation is only half finished. 872 00:43:45,289 --> 00:43:48,416 {\an8}There are an estimated 80 graves in total, 873 00:43:48,417 --> 00:43:50,794 {\an8}so there are many more to be explored, 874 00:43:50,795 --> 00:43:53,255 {\an8}which may provide additional insight 875 00:43:53,256 --> 00:43:54,673 {\an8}into the people who lived here 876 00:43:54,674 --> 00:43:57,384 {\an8}through an important transitional period 877 00:43:57,385 --> 00:43:59,387 {\an8}in Welsh history.