Viking burial customs were varied, including cremation and inhumation. Archaeologists have learned about Viking burials through excavation of burial mounds and artifacts as well as written accounts. Some Vikings believed that the dead could rise from their graves as supernatural entities like haugbui, aptrgangr, or draugr if not properly buried according to custom.

1. Viking Burials

2. Viking Burial Customs
• How do we know about Viking burial customs?
– Archaeology - rune stones, burial mounds, artefacts
– Written accounts Icelandic sagas, accounts by
observers such as Ibn Fadlan
• Variety of burial customs
– Cremation
– Burial in ground (inhumation)

6. Grave Robbers & The Walking Dead
• Haugbui (from haugr meaning
"howe" or "barrow")
• Aptrgangr (lit. "after-goer," or
"one who walks after death")
• Draugr (“ghost”, sometimes
land-draugs and sea-draugs)