Scientists confirmed an 800-year-old story of the literal poisoning of a well, according to a Report in iScience.

The Norwegians Sverris Sagawhich tells stories about King Sverre Sigurdsson, describes a raid in 1197 where a body was thrown into a well at Sverresborg Castle, ostensibly to poison the area’s main water source. Researchers analyzed DNA from a skeleton found in a well outside Trondheim in central Norway. This study of the “Well Man” matched the events of the tale.

“This is the first time that a person described in these historical texts has actually been found,” Michael Martin from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s University Museum in Trondheim, Norway and an author of the study, says in a press release. “There are many of these medieval and ancient remains around Europe, and they are increasingly being studied using genomic methods.”

The origin of the bones

The bones were discovered in 1938 – but scientists then lacked the tools to understand their origin. Since then, radiocarbon dating has matched the Well Man’s demise with the period described in the saga. More recently, a Norwegian team of researchers used genomics tools to learn more about his past.

DNA analysis shows that Well Man was between 30 and 40 years old at the time of his death. He most likely had blue eyes and blond or light brown hair, and his ancestors probably came from the southernmost Norwegian county now called Vest-Agder. The researchers are able to draw these conclusions because Norway has collected reference data describing the genetics of contemporary Norwegians.

Read more: Everything Worth Knowing About … Scientific Dating Methods

What was the well man’s cause of death?

What remains unknown is whether the well contamination strategy actually worked. To read Well Man’s genome, scientists had to remove the surface of a tooth to avoid contamination from its previous handlers. Then they ground the rest of the tooth into a powder. Finally, they used genetic tools to examine the tooth powder.

Their tests did not show what disease – if any – Well Man may have carried to his grave. Since that particular sample cannot be reused, his cause of death may remain a mystery. Any pathogens on the surface of the tooth would have been destroyed during the processing of the sample.

“It was a compromise between removing surface contamination of the people who have touched the tooth and then removing some of the possible pathogens (…) there are many ethical considerations.” Martin Rene Ellegaard from Norway’s Ellegaard University of Science and Technology and an author of the study, said in a press release. “We need to consider what kind of testing we do now because that will limit what we can do in the future.”

The researchers intend to test samples from other historical figures – when they reveal their bones. Saint Olaf, who is believed to be buried near Trondheim Cathedral, is high on the list.

Read more: Deadly diseases that plagued people in ancient times are similar to those today

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Before joining Discover Magazine, Paul spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in US life science policy and global science career issues. He began his career in newspapers, but switched to scientific journals. His work has appeared in publications including Science News, Science, Nature, and Scientific American.