1,100-year-old burials of elite warriors and their ornate weapons discovered in Hungary

Archaeologists in Hungary have discovered the 1,100-year-old burials of three elite male warriors, and a DNA analysis has revealed that the men were related.

The warriors' burials hold weapons, including a saber and a bow with a quiver of arrows, as well as dozens of coins. A DNA analysis indicates that one of the warriors might be the father or brother of a teenage warrior in one of the other burials and that all three warriors were related along their paternal lines.

Located near the village of Akasztó, about 57 miles (92 kilometers) southeast of Budapest, the burials were discovered by volunteers from the Katona József Museum's community archaeology program and were excavated by a team of volunteers and professionals led by Wilhelm Gábor, the head of the museum's archaeology department.

All three men were buried in the 920s or 930s, the archaeological team told Live Science in an email. In total, the three burials yielded 81 coins. Most are from northern Italy and date to the reign of Berengar (888 to 924), a king who ruled parts of Italy and was a great-grandson of Charlemagne. At that time, the Hungarians had formed a kingdom in Hungary, and warriors from the kingdom were involved in military campaigns in northern Italy. It's possible that the warriors in the burials obtained the coins during those campaigns, the archaeologists said.

One of the warriors was 17 to 18 years old when he died and had a belt that was partly decorated with gilded silver. On his right side was a leather pouch, known as a sabretache, that was decorated with a silver plate.

"On his left hand he wore a gold ring with blue glass stones," and his "legs were adorned with ornate silver bracelets and anklets," the archaeologists wrote. Several small, gold plates were found on his body — possibly the remains of clothing or his death shroud, the team suggested. He was also buried with a horse harness that had straps decorated with gilded silver.

Another burial contained a warrior who died at the slightly younger age of 15 to 16. He was buried with a quiver that contained seven arrows and a bow. The "stiff arched ends and handle of his bow were covered with decorative antler plates," the archaeological team wrote.

The third burial held a warrior who died between the ages of 30 and 35. It contained a saber, archery equipment, a horse harness, a silver bracelet, and a belt decorated with coins, the archaeologists said. A DNA analysis revealed that this individual was likely the father or brother of the youngest warrior and that all three warriors were related.

The team also looked at the ratios of isotopes, or elements with varying numbers of neutrons in their nuclei, in the warriors' remains. This analysis showed that the three warriors had diets rich in animal protein.

From the archaeological finds, "it can be stated that an elite warrior group, presumably members of a military leadership, were buried here," the archaeologists wrote. Research is underway to learn more about the warriors' identities. It's not clear how they died.