Archaeologists working in the southeastern part of Norway have made a terrifying discovery after conducting an excavation at a graveyard that dates back several thousand years.

The Scandinavian nations, found at the furthest reach of northwest Europe, have a rich history that stretches back thousands of years.

Archaeologists throughout Norway continue to excavate sites of interest in an attempt to better understand the early Germanic-speaking groups and the much older Neolithic inhabitants that predated the so-called Viking period.

The circles, comprised of stones meticulously set into place, were first excavated by archaeologists in autumn 2023, per the Museum of Cultural History at the University of Oslo. What lay beneath were the remains of more than 40 graves.

Following a deeper analysis carried out by scientists, they discovered that 39 of the 41 graves at the site contained the burnt remains of children aged six and under, according to a statement from the Museum.

Dating of the remains suggests they were buried over a period of 600 years, stretching from around 800 BCE to 200 BCE. This suggests the children were not buried suddenly but instead over the course of several centuries.

Archaeologists first discovered the site after scouring the region for evidence of Stone Age activity before the expansion of a local quarry.

According to the museum, “The children’s graves were found in an area rich in cultural heritage.”

The head of the excavation team, Guro Fossum, shared her thoughts on the discovery during an interview with Science Norway.

Fossum detailed the layout of the discovery, stating, “The graves are very close together. They must have been in an open landscape, with thoroughfares nearby, so everyone would have known about them. Cooking pits and fireplaces around the site suggest that gatherings and ceremonies were held in connection with burials.”

Fossum revealed when the researchers received the results that the vast majority of the remains belonged to children. She said, “It made sense. This was done with so much care.”

Fossum noted that there were some cremated human remains in graves, and very few bones. She notes that each grave contained between 0.1 and 240 grams of bone. But there was also a notable difference between some of the graves.

The teams identified these graves as “cremation graves,” which was a common burial method during this period in Norway.

Archaeologists intend to analyze the artifacts from the site, including pottery fragments. According to Fossum, these findings “can reveal a great deal” since “not all the vessels seem to have been used for holding burnt bones.” Some were placed between the graves, sparking curiosity about their contents: “We are very curious about what was inside them.”

Håkon Reiersen, an associate professor of archeology at the University of Stavanger with a special focus in the Iron Age and Viking Age, reviewed the new findings. He noted that the discovery and practice was “very exciting” and “rare” find.

Reiersen also notes that the discovery shows the “powerful and human” connection people have always had with death. “This burial site provided a dedicated place for the community to process and mourn the unimaginable over centuries,” Reiersen said.

This burial site is notable for several reasons. While it does show us insight into the ancient practices of a civilization that have been largely unknown, it is the first burial sight that is made mostly of children’s graves.

Reiersen noted that large burial sites from the area are not very common in Norway, but present-day Østfold houses most of the notable burial sites.

The researchers discovered that the children buried in the area were mostly infants, while others were between three and six years old when they died.

Researchers suggested that poverty, famine, disease, and a lack of resources to support children contributed to the high infant mortality rate during that time.

The team also found several ancient pathways that run beside the grave site. Known as sunken lanes, these depressions in the landscape once served as long-used pathways and roads.

Fossum mentioned that this wasn’t the only burial site in the area. Researchers first discovered and excavated Gunnerstorp in the 1950s near the grave site, where they found the remains of many different people, including the elderly, adults, and children, buried there.

Despite this, the graves are very similar to the infant graves found at the current site. This might indicate that the people treated deceased infants and other deceased individuals in the same manner.

As Fossum explained, there’s still a lot to learn from the site. “It doesn’t appear that all the vessels were containers for burnt bones; some were placed between the graves, and we are very curious about what was inside them,” she said.