Uppåkra Iron Age Central Place
Stora Uppåkra · Uppåkra temple
Late Pre-Roman Iron Age to Viking Age (c.100 BCE–1000 CE)·South Scandinavian Iron Age·🇸🇪 Scania (Skåne), Staffanstorp Municipality, Sweden
About
About Uppåkra Iron Age Central Place
Continuously occupied central place in Scania from c.100 BCE to 1000 CE, with a heathen temple building (200–950 CE, four-post staved cult house with beaker and gold foil figures), hall sequence and 28,000+ metal finds. The hall and temple distinguish Uppåkra as Scania's political-ritual predecessor to Lund. Excavated 1996–present by Lund University, it revealed house terraces, imported glass and craft specialization indicating a sacral kingship centre controlling plain surplus.
Why it mattersContinuously occupied central place in Scania from c.100 BCE to 1000 CE, with a heathen temple building (200–950 CE, four-post staved cult house with beaker and gold foil figures), hall sequence and 2
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Whether the cult house was a true temple or elite hall
- 02Cause of wealth concentration without fortification
Theories
- 01Uppåkra as sacral kingship centre controlling Lund plain surplus
- 02Temple as Odin/Thor cult predecessor to Lund cathedral
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. 100 BCE; temple c. 200 CE
- Period
- Late Pre-Roman Iron Age to Viking Age (c.100 BCE–1000 CE)
- Culture
- South Scandinavian Iron Age
- Purpose
- Elite residence, cult centre and craft/ trading central place
- Abandoned
- c. 1000 CE (shift to Lund)
- Rediscovered
- 1934 finds; systematic 1996–
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
c. 100 BCE; temple c. 200 CE
Initial construction
c. 1075 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
55.6730° N · 13.1670° E · 20 m · 2 mapped features
The Cult House (Temple)
templeStave cult building with gold foil figures, beaker and collapsed walls (200–950 CE)
55.6740° N · 13.1675° EThe Great Hall Sequence
hallSequence of elite halls 40 m long on terrace, 100 BCE–950 CE
55.6725° N · 13.1665° E