Sexing Children from Viking Age Gotland

The assessment of sex is fundamental in osteoarchaeological analysis, yet traditional morphological methods are less reliable for children due to the incomplete development of sexually dimorphic traits. This study applies a multi-method approach—integrating morphological, metric, and genetic data—to assess sex and explore gender expression through burial assemblages at the Viking Age (c. 750–1050 CE) site of Ihre, Gotland, with a particular focus on individuals under 20. Results reveal strong alignment between metric and genetic sex. Mandibular odontometric analysis proved more consistent than traditional morphological traits when compared to genetic sex, offering an accessible and effective supplement for sex estimation in children. In adolescents, pelvic traits were most informative, while cranial traits showed limited reliability. Genetic sexing provided a critical reference, highlighting misclassifications in morphological assessments, particularly among genetic males. Analysis of burial assemblages indicates that gender expression often corresponded with biological sex but varied with age. Female graves typically included dress items such as brooches and pendants, especially after adolescence, while male graves more frequently featured tools and weapons. These patterns suggest that gendered roles and identities were materially expressed and changed over the life course. These findings underscore the importance of a multi-method approach in sex estimation, particularly for children, and demonstrates the value of contextual archaeological analysis in interpreting past identities. Ihre, the interplay between sex, gender, and social identity in mortuary practices reflects a model that, while broadly structured around binary distinctions, was also shaped by age and culturally contingent factors—revealing identity as a dynamic and context-dependent construct in Viking Age society.