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How might the Vikings have seen human and animal bodies differently? New Generation Thinker Marianne Hem Eriksen looks for answers, exploring discoveries made at burial sites.

Looking at the way human and animal bodies were treated in death and used in rituals prompts New Generation Thinker and archaeologist Marianne Hem Eriksen, from the University of Leicester, to ask questions about the way humans, animals and spirit worlds were understood. Her Essay shares stories from a research project called Body-Politics’: presenting worlds where elite men could shape-shift into animals — and some people’s bones ended up in rubbish pits.

This Essay is part of the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳/AHRC New Generation Thinkers scheme which puts academic research on radio.

Producer: Luke Mulhall

You can hear Marianne discussing insights from her research in episodes of Free Thinking called The Kitchen and in one broadcasting next week looking at Attitudes towards death.

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14 minutes

Broadcast

  • Wed 20 Mar 2024 22:45

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Download The Essay

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