Scientists pried open the 850-year-old casket of King Erik the Holy on Wednesday, hoping to find out more about the king, his crown, and his eating habits.
Legend has it the bone damage was a fatal blow from when he was killed on ascension in 1160
[Credit: Bertil Ericson/TT]
"This was a very special occasion, especially considering the importance of Saint Erik religiously in Sweden," Uppsala Cathedral Chaplain Lars Åstrand told The Local.
The casket contained the bones of King Erik, who was later made a saint, together with a gilded copper crown decorated with semi-precious stones.
"The crown is unique - there's nothing as old as this of its kind in Sweden. It's certainly the oldest medieval royal crown in the country," Åstrand said.
