The idea of biological warfare might seem like a modern threat, but evidence suggests it has been used in warfare for centuries. Recently, a shocking discovery has brought to light one of the earliest recorded acts of germ warfare—right from medieval Norway.
In the 12th century, as Norway’s civil war raged on, rival factions fought to claim dominance. Among them was the Bagler faction, a group aligned with the church that sought to unseat King Sverre Sigurdsson. During one of their brutal sieges on Sverre’s castle, Sverresborg, the Baglers resorted to an unusual and grim tactic. Unable to find the king, they supposedly hurled a corpse into the castle’s well, aiming to pollute the water supply with deadly consequences. This incident, recorded in the Norse saga known as Sverris saga, has sparked debates among historians about its authenticity. Could such a gruesome method of germ warfare really have taken place?
Fast forward to the modern era, and a surprising discovery may finally answer this question. The remains of a man—nicknamed “Well Man”—were recently identified at the bottom of a well in Sverresborg. Scientists believe he could indeed be the ill-fated figure used in the Baglers’ bioweapon attempt. Michael D. Martin, an evolutionary genomicist at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, commented, “This is the first time that the remains of a person or character described in a Norse saga have been positively identified.” The analysis, recently published in the journal iScience, bridges medieval tales with genetic proof, verifying this dark chapter of Norway’s past.
The thing about modern technology
While Well Man’s body was initially unearthed in 1938 during a preliminary excavation at Sverresborg, technology then was insufficient for further analysis. The team documented their findings with photographs, but with WWII looming, plans to examine the site stalled. Decades passed, and it wasn’t until the 21st century that researchers finally returned to investigate the site in depth. Using modern dating techniques, they discovered that Well Man’s bones date back roughly 800 years—aligning with the timeline of the Bagler’s siege.
In 2016, a larger-scale excavation, led by Anna Petersén from the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research, brought Well Man fully to the surface. Remarkably, this medieval victim was found wearing only a single leather shoe, and he bore severe injuries, including a fresh wound on his skull, suggesting he may have been fatally attacked before being discarded into the well. As Petersén noted, “He looked as if he had been severely injured prior to being tossed in the well,” adding weight to the idea of his use as a weapon of war.
To uncover Well Man’s story further, the research team partnered with deCODE Genetics, an Icelandic firm known for its extensive genetic records. Analysis of DNA from his teeth revealed he had typical Norwegian traits—blue eyes, fair skin, and blond or light-brown hair—and traced his lineage to the Agder region in southern Norway, the same region as the Bagler faction that sought to unseat King Sverre. According to Martin, this lineage is particularly interesting because it highlights the complexities of identity and allegiance in medieval politics, as genetics don’t necessarily correlate with loyalty.
The discovery of Well Man and his tragic fate not only opens a new window into medieval warfare tactics but also challenges modern ideas of biological warfare’s origins. While science has brought us closer to the truth behind Sverris saga, Well Man’s story invites readers to consider how far the tools of war have evolved—and yet, how similar the human conflicts remain.
