Grobin (Grobiņa) Viking Age Scandinavian Settlement
Early Middle Ages (650–850 CE)·Swedish Gotlandic and Danish Vikings + Curonians·🇱🇻 Kurzeme, Grobiņa town and surroundings, Latvia
About
About Grobin (Grobiņa) Viking Age Scandinavian Settlement
Grobin (Grobiņa) Viking Age Scandinavian Settlement in Kurzeme, Grobiņa town and surroundings, Latvia is a Early Middle Ages (650–850 CE) Swedish Gotlandic and Danish Vikings + Curonians site built c. 650 CE (Swedish colony) as scandinavian colony opposite grobiņa hillfort with 3,000 flat-grave cemetery, earliest swedish overseas settlement pre-birka. Documented via 1929–30 Birger Nerman; Petrenko 1980s. The Swedish Gotlandic and Danish Vikings + Curonians ancient city preserves hillfort 1 ha with scandinavian flat grave cemetery 300×600 m, 3,000 graves.
Dimensions cemetery 8 ha; hillfort 100 m hill. It is key to understanding Swedish Gotlandic and Danish Vikings + Curonians polity formation on the Kurzeme.
Why it mattersGrobin (Grobiņa) Viking Age Scandinavian Settlement in Kurzeme, Grobiņa town and surroundings, Latvia is a Early Middle Ages (650–850 CE) Swedish Gotlandic and Danish Vikings + Curonians site built c.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Swedes vs Curonians – colony or trading?
Theories
- 01Grobin as Gotlandic Vendel colony bridged to Birka western Baltic expansion
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 650 CE (Swedish colony)
- Period
- Early Middle Ages (650–850 CE)
- Culture
- Swedish Gotlandic and Danish Vikings + Curonians
- Purpose
- Scandinavian colony opposite Grobiņa hillfort with 3,000 flat-grave cemetery, earliest Swedish overseas settlement pre-Birka
- Abandoned
- c. 850 CE (Curonian revolt)
- Rediscovered
- 1929–30 Birger Nerman; Petrenko 1980s
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 650 CE (Swedish colony)
Initial construction
c. 1535 CE
Major expansion
On the ground
Structures & features
56.5350° N · 21.1670° E · 40 m · 2 mapped features
Grobin Flat Grave Cemetery (3,000)
cemeteryScandinavian flat grave cemetery with Vendel jewellery
56.5360° N · 21.1680° EGrobiņa Hillfort (Skābarža Hill)
hillfortCuronian hillfort controlling settlement
56.5340° N · 21.1660° E
Gallery