Vikings were moving around Europe and beyond with smallpox, scientists say

Massacred 10th century Vikings found in a mass grave at St John’s College, Oxford

Extinct strains of smallpox have been found in the teeth of Viking skeletons, indicating disease was widespread in northern Europe during the seventh century, scientists say.

An international team of researchers analysed the genetic material of the ancient strains and found their structure to differ from the modern smallpox virus which was eradicated in the 20th century.