第2039期:Horses and dogs sailed with Vikings to Britain

Archaeologists were excavating Britain's largest Scandinavian cremation mounds when they found the animal remains mixed in with humans. By using a technique called strontium isotope analysis, the scientists from Durham University could trace back the origin of the bones to Scandinavia. They say it's the first scientific evidence that animals travelled with the Vikings to England on their longboats. 

考古学家在挖掘英国最大的斯堪的纳维亚火葬墓冢时，发现了混在人类遗骸中的动物遗骸。通过使用一种名为锶同位素分析的技术，杜伦大学的科学家们可以将遗骨所属个体的身份追溯至斯堪的纳维亚。他们说，这是首个表明动物随维京人一同乘坐维京长船前往英国的科学证据。 

The researchers suggest it was probably a wet, windy and uncomfortable trip that could have taken several weeks. A horse and dog were found in the same graves as humans. Scientists say this shows that the Vikings had a special relationship with the creatures, which were more like pets than animals for economic purposes like farming. Space would have been limited on the longboats, suggesting that a Viking leader chose his or her favourite animals to make the long journey to England. 

研究人员表示，这可能是一次历时数周、潮湿、多风又不舒服的旅程。一匹马和一条狗和人类在同一个坟墓中被发现。科学家说，这表明维京人与这些动物有着特殊的关系，这些动物更像是他们的宠物，而非用于农耕等经济目的的牲畜。维京长船上的空间本来就有限，这表明维京人的首领选择了最心爱的动物随其一同踏上驶往英格兰的漫长旅途。 

词汇表

archaeologists 考古学家
excavating 挖掘
cremation mounds 火葬墓冢
trace 追溯，查明…的源头
longboats 维京长船
graves 坟墓
creatures 动物
make the long journey 长途旅行