Valsgärde
Valsgärde gravfält · Valsgärde Boat Grave Field · Vallsgärde · Valsgärde Fyris River
Vendel Period → Viking Age 550–1100 (Iron Age boat burial)·Vendel Period Svear → Viking Swedish (Fyris royal corridor)·🇸🇪 Uppsala County, Uppsala Municipality, Valsgärde farm on Fyris River 3 km north of Gamla Uppsala (Gamla Uppsala RAÄ 209 hill), Sweden
About
About Valsgärde
Valsgärde (Vallsgärde) — boat-grave cemetery (Vendal Period 6th c → Viking Age 11th c, 15 boat graves + 80+ graves) on Fyris River hill 3 km north Gamla Uppsala, Uppsala RAÄ 209. Excavated 1928– G. Arwidsson: 15 Vendel–Viking boat graves 9–12 m (largest Valsgärde 14, 12 m 12 oars c.800), 62 inhumation–cremation graves, chamber graves 11th c, helmets with Sutton Hoo parallels, brocaded tablet-woven bands (graves 3,12,15 Larsson 2015). Genetic history Scandinavia Roman→present Cell 2022 tur003 904–1115. Type parallels Sutton Hoo Swedish influence. Boat reconstructions 9–10 m pre-750, 12 m 8th c. Hill depressions mark boat outlines.
Why it mattersSecond great Vendel boat cemetery — 15 ships 6th–11th c and Sutton Hoo helmet type-site
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Sutton Hoo link — Swedish influence?
Theories
- 01Valsgärde as Uppsala royal retinue cemetery
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- 6th c first ship burial; peak Vendel Vendel 550–800 and Viking 800–1100
- Period
- Vendel Period → Viking Age 550–1100 (Iron Age boat burial)
- Culture
- Vendel Period Svear → Viking Swedish (Fyris royal corridor)
- Builders
- Svear Svear elite (Valsgärde–Vendel–Uppsala dynasty)
- Purpose
- Fyris boat-grave aristocratic cemetery 15 ships 6th–11th c linked Gamla Uppsala royals
- Abandoned
- 11th c Christianisation to churchyard
- Rediscovered
- 1928 S. Lindqvist; 1930s G. Arwidsson 80+ graves
- Excavation
- Excavated
6th c
First Vendel ship 9 m on Fyris hill
c.800 CE
Valsgärde 14 largest 12 m 12 oars
1928
Lindqvist–Arwidsson reveal 15 boats
On the ground
Structures & features
59.9261° N · 17.6263° E · 25 m · 3 mapped features
- Boat Grave 14 (12 m, 12 oars c.800)boat graveLargest Valsgärde boat 12 m 12 oars, Iron rivets, helmet and tablet band59.9263° N · 17.6265° E
- Vendel Boat Grave Cluster 6th cboat graveFirst 6th c ship burials 9–10 m pre-750 with Vendel helmet59.9260° N · 17.6260° E
- Chamber Grave 11th c tur003chamberLate Viking chamber grave 11th c radiocarbon 904–1115 tur003 Cell 202259.9262° N · 17.6268° E
Gallery