Valsgärde Boat Grave Field
Vallsgärde · Valsgärde 1–15
Vendel Period to Viking Age (c.550–1100 CE)·Vendel / Viking Age Svear·🇸🇪 Uppsala County, Gamla Uppsala parish, Valsgärde farm, Sweden
About
About Valsgärde Boat Grave Field
Cemetery on a ridge above the Fyris river used for 600 years (5th–11th c.) with 15 Vendel–Viking boat graves (c.600–1100), chamber graves and 62 cremations. Famous for intact iron helmets with Pressblech foils, swords and horse burials paralleling Sutton Hoo. Excavated 1928–52 by Sune Lindqvist, Uppsala University. The undisturbed boat graves define Vendel Period elite material culture preceding the Viking Age.
Why it mattersCemetery on a ridge above the Fyris river used for 600 years (5th–11th c.) with 15 Vendel–Viking boat graves (c.600–1100), chamber graves and 62 cremations. Famous for intact iron helmets with Pressbl
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Why Valsgärde boat graves pre-date Vendel church graves
- 02Relationship to Gamla Uppsala kingship – retinue or independent elite
Theories
- 01Valsgärde as retinue cemetery for Uppsala kings' hird
- 02Boat as status symbol linking to Sutton Hoo North Sea elite network
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. 550 CE (earliest cremations) – boat graves 600–1100
- Period
- Vendel Period to Viking Age (c.550–1100 CE)
- Culture
- Vendel / Viking Age Svear
- Purpose
- Elite boat-burial cemetery for Uppsala elite retinue
- Abandoned
- c. 1100 CE
- Rediscovered
- 1928 Lindqvist; excav. 1928–52
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 550 CE (earliest cremations) – boat graves 600–1100
Initial construction
c. 1673 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
59.8930° N · 17.6250° E · 18 m · 2 mapped features
Boat Grave 7 (Vendelian helmet burial)
boat graveMid-7th c. intact boat with helmet with eyebrow foils and sword
59.8932° N · 17.6255° EBoat Grave 8 (Viking Period)
boat grave10th-century boat grave with horse and dog
59.8928° N · 17.6245° E