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Study: DNA corroborates “Well-man” tale from Norse saga

The “Well-man” likely had blue eyes, blond or light-brown hair, and hailed from southern Norway.

Much of what we know about early Norse and Icelandic history comes from the sagas, many of which were written by scholars centuries after the events described—most likely based on oral traditions or earlier now-lost manuscripts. One notable exception is the Sverris Saga, which covers the reign of King Sverre Sigurdsson(1151–1240 CE), a tumultuous period marked by warring factions all vying to claim the throne. Jennifer is a senior reporter at Ars Technica with a particular focus on where science meets culture, covering everything from physics and related interdisciplinary topics to her favorite films and TV series.

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