Viking burial site in Iceland showing the transition from pagan to Christian elements.

Unearthing Viking Age Burials: How Cultural Shifts Rewrite History

Rhea Morgan in Culture & Society June 2025 • 4 min read.

"Explore Viking Age burial customs in Iceland and discover what these fascinating rituals tell us about cultural transitions, religious conversions, and societal values."

The study of cultural and religious shifts offers a captivating glimpse into how societies evolve. Understanding transformations in religious beliefs, particularly, reveals much about a society's values, norms, and overall identity. In Europe, the understanding of past conversions to Christianity, is very important to understand current norms.

Archaeological evidence linked to conversion highlights equally illuminating insights. By observing changes, such as the disappearance of cremation with the introduction of Christian burial customs, one gets a deeper understanding of the society experiencing the transformation, not just the transformation itself. Culture trumps theology in terms of trends and views, ultimately showing which cultural norms take precedence.

This article explores how conversion reshapes societal practices, emphasizing how these shifts aren't solely dictated by religious doctrine, but shaped by culture. Cultural adaptations can illuminate aspects of society, which are essential for grasping the dynamics of religious and cultural change. Viking-age Iceland offers a captivating case study.

Reinterpreting Viking Burial Practices

Viking burial site in Iceland showing the transition from pagan to Christian elements.

Examining the burial customs of Viking-age Iceland reveals a complex interplay between conversion and cultural change. Iceland offers a fascinating case study because of its clear and relatively rapid transition in burial customs and church construction following the public decision to convert around 999 or 1000 AD.

A closer look reveals a more nuanced process of Christianization that began earlier and extended over a longer period. The transition period reflects the settlers’ relatively loose ties to pagan traditions, influenced by a desire for identity formation. As the Viking colonists integrated into Christianity they simultaneously tried to remain modern and progressive.

Location of Cemeteries: Pre-Christian cemeteries existed outside home fields, while Christian cemeteries were integrated into farmsteads, signifying a shift from marking territorial boundaries to a focus on community and consecrated spaces.
Inclusion: Pagan cemeteries included a selected few, a select amount of men, women, children, and in some cases animals, highlighting a hierarchical structure of Viking society, while Christian cemeteries welcomed all members of the community, representing equality in death.
Grave Goods: The transition from furnished to unfurnished graves demonstrates a change in the use of wealth and resources. As resources shifted towards supporting churches and the community rather than equipping the dead for the afterlife.

The relocation of cemeteries from the margins of settlement to the center shows how the community changed, and altered its views on territory, nature, and spirits. Christianity brought a new sense of security and dominion over the environment, reducing the need to appease local spirits through graves on property lines.

A New View of Conversion

The changes in Viking-age Iceland reveal a shift in views, social structures, and economic relationships. These changes reveal as much about the norms, values, and socio-economic underpinnings of Viking society as they do about religious ideas. By examining the archaeological record, and understanding cultural changes, we gain an important understanding of this historical period, how conversion changes society's norms.

About this Article -

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This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1484/m.celama-eb.5.108749, Alternate LINK

Title: Conversion And Cultural Change: Burial Paradigms In Viking Age Iceland

Journal: Cultural Encounters in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages

Publisher: Brepols Publishers

Authors: Orri Vésteinsson

Published: 2016-01-01

Everything You Need To Know

Why is the study of Viking-age Iceland important for understanding cultural and religious shifts?

Viking-age Iceland is significant because it provides a well-documented case of religious transition with the public decision to convert around 999 or 1000 AD. This conversion led to observable shifts in burial customs and church construction, offering insights into how societies adapt during periods of religious change. The relatively rapid transition and clear archaeological evidence make Iceland a key area for understanding the dynamics of cultural and religious transformations.

How did the location of cemeteries change during the transition from paganism to Christianity in Viking-age Iceland, and what does this signify?

Pre-Christian cemeteries in Viking-age Iceland were typically located outside home fields, which served to mark territorial boundaries and possibly appease local spirits. In contrast, Christian cemeteries were integrated into farmsteads, indicating a shift towards community-focused spaces and the concept of consecrated ground. This relocation reflects a change in how the community viewed its relationship with territory, nature, and the spiritual world, emphasizing security and dominion over the environment under the influence of Christianity.

What does the change in inclusion within cemeteries during the Viking Age reveal about societal values?

The inclusion of individuals in cemeteries during the Viking Age varied significantly before and after Christianization. Pagan cemeteries often included a select few individuals, including men, women, children, and sometimes animals, reflecting a hierarchical structure in Viking society. Christian cemeteries, on the other hand, welcomed all members of the community, representing a move towards equality in death. This change highlights a shift in societal values, emphasizing communal inclusion over social stratification.

How did the practice of including grave goods in burials change with the advent of Christianity in Viking-age Iceland, and what does this imply?

The transition from furnished to unfurnished graves in Viking-age Iceland demonstrates a significant change in the use of wealth and resources. In pre-Christian burials, the dead were often equipped with grave goods, reflecting a belief in the afterlife and the need for provisions and tools. After Christianization, resources were increasingly directed towards supporting churches and the community rather than equipping the dead. This shift underscores a change in economic priorities and societal values, prioritizing communal welfare over individual afterlife preparations. The absence of grave goods symbolizes a move away from pagan beliefs towards Christian ideals of simplicity and community support.

In what ways did cultural norms influence the conversion to Christianity in Viking-age Iceland, and what broader implications does this have for understanding religious conversions?

The conversion to Christianity in Viking-age Iceland was not just a theological change but a cultural adaptation deeply influenced by existing social norms and values. While Christianity introduced new religious doctrines, the way these doctrines were adopted and integrated into society was shaped by pre-existing cultural trends. For instance, the settlers' relatively loose ties to pagan traditions and their desire for identity formation influenced the speed and manner of Christianization. This interplay between religious doctrine and cultural adaptation highlights how societal practices are reshaped by culture, demonstrating that religious shifts are not solely dictated by religious doctrine but are significantly influenced by cultural context.