Mound 5 In The Burial Site

In the burial site at Marosszentanna, the bodies were laid out in perpendicular directions, approximately along a north-south axis, except for twelve graves that were aligned east-west. These graves contained no grave goods nor eating or drinking vessels. The hands of at least two of the corpses were also clasped in a Christian manner and have been dated as the most recent graves (Köpeczi et al.). This indicates the transition from non-Christian to Christian and the acceptance of such a transition. Unlike the Anglo-Saxons, who had a tendency to rebel against Christianity in the beginning, the Visigoths continued to use the same burial grounds despite a shift in cultural beliefs. Just as the Anglo-Saxons buried warriors with ships, the Vikings …show more content…
Rebelling against Christianity, some Anglo-Saxons responded by “….indulging in ever more elaborate ritual. Cremation was adopted…” (“AD 700- Sutton Hoo”). Most unusual is Mound 5 in the Sutton Hoo excavation site. Several bodies were buried in distorted positions, some with their hands behind their backs, face down, or decapitated with the head placed by the hand or knee (Kerr). This indicates potential human sacrifice, especially since Mound 5 is the resting place of a high ranking person. It has been suggested that these men were sacrificed to make a statement against Christianity …show more content…
The king of the Franks recognized that it was impossible to drive the Viking raiders out of France. In order to keep the Vikings from attacking him, he made a treaty with Rollo, the head of the Viking army that had invaded northern France. The Vikings had to promise to become Christian and pay homage to the Frankish king in exchange for the land they occupied. Rollo accepted these terms and became the first Duke of Normandy. He was so dedicated to the land of Normandy that he “…restored and reendowed many of the churches and monasteries which had been plundered by Norse