science

Archaeologists are baffled by a 1,000-year-old skeleton used by the Nazis and Soviets as propaganda 

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A skeleton from the Middle Ages that was first discovered inside Prague Castle in 1928 and then used as gruesome Nazi propaganda continues to baffle scientists. 

The man who lived during the 10th century was buried with a sword and two knives has long been the focal point of a debate that rages between warring academics.

No agreement has been found among experts as to who or what the individual was, despite Hitler’s government claiming the remains ‘proved’ the castle was Germanic.

The skeleton made another bizarre appearance later, when the Soviets tried to pull the same trick the Nazis and claim it was of Soviet origin. 

The latest analysis says it could be a Slav from a neighbouring region, ‘who had mastered Old Norse as well as Slavonic’ or he may have been a legitimate Viking

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The man who lived during the 10th century was buried with a sword and two knives (pictured)has long been the focal point of a debate that continues to rage between academics

The man who lived during the 10th century was buried with a sword and two knives (pictured)has long been the focal point of a debate that continues to rage between academics 

Pictured: Moving the burial block of grave to the Prague Castle storerooms in 1928. The skeleton would become he focal point for one of the darkest mysteries in the history of 21st century archaeology

Pictured: Moving the burial block of grave to the Prague Castle storerooms in 1928. The skeleton would become he focal point for one of the darkest mysteries in the history of 21st century archaeology 

Pictured: Prague Castle during the visit of Heinrich Himmler in 1941. On 11 July 1928, the remains of a male were discovered under the courtyard of Prague Castle

Pictured: Prague Castle during the visit of Heinrich Himmler in 1941. On 11 July 1928, the remains of a male were discovered under the courtyard of Prague Castle

A new study published in the journal Antiquity looked at all previous analysis and theories to try and reach a conclusion.  

However, the authors failed to bring any clarity to the murky picture. 

The authors could not conclude for definite the origin of the bones but were able to give some clarity to possible explanations. 

They write: ‘[The] material culture is a mix of foreign (i.e. non-Czech) items, such as the sword, axe and ‘fire striker’ (a common piece of Viking equipment), and domestic objects, such as the bucket and the knives’.

They also reveal that the sword is especially unique as it is the only one discovered in 1,500 early medieval graves so far found in Prague Castle. 

It is possible, they say, that the individual was a Slav from a neighbouring region, ‘who had mastered Old Norse as well as Slavonic’ or he may have been a legitimate Viking. 

On 11 July 1928, the remains of a male were discovered under the courtyard of Prague Castle.

A project to excavate the region led by the National Museum intended to study the earliest phases of the Castle stumbled across the skeleton for the first time. 

The body was located on the edge of an old burial ground from when a hill fort was built on the site, likely dating to AD 800–950/1000. 

It had a number of weapons, including a sword, located in the grave with the remains. 

Pictured: The ground-plan and equipment found in the gave. 1) sword; 2) bucket; 3) fire-steel; 4) flint; 5) razor; 6-7)knives; 8) axe. It is thought the remains may have belonged to a warrior, potentially of Viking origin, but this is hotly debated

Pictured: The ground-plan and equipment found in the gave. 1) sword; 2) bucket; 3) fire-steel; 4) flint; 5) razor; 6-7)knives; 8) axe. It is thought the remains may have belonged to a warrior, potentially of Viking origin, but this is hotly debated 

Pictured: Erecting the First World War Memorial obelisk in the courtyard of Prague Castle 1928. This happened in the same year that the skeleton was discovered and the enthralling and dark tale of the skeleton started

Pictured: Erecting the First World War Memorial obelisk in the courtyard of Prague Castle 1928. This happened in the same year that the skeleton was discovered and the enthralling and dark tale of the skeleton started 

THE HISTORY OF THE PRAGUE CASTLE SKELETON 

Pictured: Ivan Borkovský, the discoverer and excavator of the Viking/warrior burial at Prague Castle in 1928 who received backlash from the Nazis and Soviets for his discovery

Pictured: Ivan Borkovský, the discoverer and excavator of the Viking/warrior burial at Prague Castle in 1928 who received backlash from the Nazis and Soviets for his discovery 

It was discovered by Ivan Borkovský on July 11 1982. 

The true identity was unknown and the discoverer opted not to publish his findings. 

It is possible he was concerned with the progress of his application for Czech citizenship.

This decision proved fateful when the Nazis invaded.

Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia in 1939 and seized Prague Castle, and the skeleton, and claimed it was German in order to further the Nazi ideology. 

The nation then came under the control of the Soviets in 1945. 

They tried a similar tactic with the skeleton. 

His true origin is unknown, but his burial with weapons and some analysis has found he may have been a Slav from a neighbouring region, ‘who had mastered Old Norse as well as Slavonic’ or he may have been a legitimate Viking.

It was discovered by Ivan Borkovský, a Ukrainian who fought for both the Austro-Hungarians and the Russians in the early 20th century.  

Nazi soldiers invaded Czechoslovakia in 1939 and the discoverer became embroiled in a scandal and accusations were fired at him that he conspired to conceal the skeleton’s true identity. 

Nazi’s claimed the remains were Germanic, or maybe Viking, but certainly not Slavic.

The Nazis pushed this unfounded ideology to add credence to their claim that German heritage was a real thing which spread over established borders of space and time.    

The unwitting remains became part of a larger rhetoric which claimed Prague Castle, a national landmark, belonged to Germany. 

Mr Borkovský  is thought to have attempted to publish his analysis, but was threatened with imprisonment in a concentration camp if he did so.  

The tale of the discoverer became almost as enthralling as the skeleton’s story itself when Czechoslovakia was occupied by the Soviets and in 1945.

His anti-communist past condemned him to a Siberian gulag, but he narrowly escaped and fled the country.  

Pictured: modern-day Prague Castle. The colourful past of the national landmark includes bleak periods of history including occupations by the Soviets and the Nazis

Pictured: modern-day Prague Castle. The colourful past of the national landmark includes bleak periods of history including occupations by the Soviets and the Nazis

Pictured: Czechoslovak president Gustav Husák and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev at Prague Castle in 1978. The skeleton's discoverer had previously exhibited anti-communist sentiment in his past and he was condemned him to a Siberian gulag, but narrowly escaped

Pictured: Czechoslovak president Gustav Husák and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev at Prague Castle in 1978. The skeleton’s discoverer had previously exhibited anti-communist sentiment in his past and he was condemned him to a Siberian gulag, but narrowly escaped

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