The 'Lynx Ladies' : Burials Furnished with Lynx Skins from the Migration and Merovingian Periods found in Present-day Sweden

Graves furnished with lynx skin from Iron Age Sweden represents an interesting group of individuals. These burials cluster in time and space and consist mainly of adult or older cremated individuals from the Migration and Merovingian period, c. 400-800 AD. This tradition is especially marked in in Uppland and Gotland, i.e. eastern Sweden. The individuals consist of adult or older women with brooches interred in well furnished burials. In Uppland these women belong to settlements of social standing and memorial rituals were performed at their graves. In Gotland, these women are present at the burial sites of harbours. Some of them were buried with small children. It is concluded that the women would have belonged to a group of ladies, mistresses of wealthy households. Furthermore, the role of the lynx and its possible connection to a female deity is discussed. It is suggested that these "lynx ladies" could have stood under the protection of the godess Freyja and been especially associated with her.