Two Rare Full-Sized Viking Burial Ships Uncovered In Sweden

Conny Waters - AncientPages.com - Two full-sized Viking burial ships have been discovered in the Swedish municipality of Uppsala, located in the central part of the country.

According to medieval writer Adam of Bremen, Uppsala was the main pagan center of Sweden, and the Temple at Uppsala contained splendid idols of the Norse gods.

Recently, the two graves were found by the vicarage in Gamla Uppsala during an excavation last autumn, and archaeologists investigated the find in June this year.

The skeleton of a horse found in one of the graves. Photo: Arkeologerna Statens historiska museerThe skeleton of a horse found in one of the graves. Photo: Arkeologerna Statens historiska museer

Archaeologists consider the find of this type as rather unique because not more than ten similar burial ship sites have been uncovered to date in Sweden.

"This is a unique excavation, the last burial ship was examined 50 years ago," Anton Seiler, an archaeologist who works with Sweden's historical museums., said to Local.

Oseberg Ship: Astonishingly Well-Preserved Viking Burial Ship

It's not often archaeologists find a Viking burial ship. Here is the Oseberg Ship that was discovered at Oseberg, Norway in 1904 by Knut Rom, a local farmer.

Burial ships were full-sized boats in which people of high social standing were sometimes buried, often along with gifts and other objects.

See also:

Viking Funeral Traditions: Burning Ships, Complex Ancient Rituals And Incredible Up Helly Aa Festival

Radar Discovery Of Ship-Shaped Anomaly Could Be Rare Viking Burial In Norway

Roskilde 6 – Longest Viking Ship Ever Discovered Was 37-Meters Long And Carried 100 Viking Warriors

Viking Longships: Fearless Dragonships Daring The Oceans And Seas

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One of the two newly discovered graves was intact, with remains of a man, a horse and a dog. Archaeologists also found items including a sword, spear, shield, and an ornate comb.

This kind of grave typically dates back to the Vendel Period (around 550-800 AD) or the Viking Age (800-1050 AD), when it was more common to cremate the dead.

The Oseberg ship - Viking Ship Museum, Norway

The Viking ships discovered in Sweden were similar to the Oseberg ship - Viking Ship Museum, Norway

"It is a small group of people who were buried in this way. You can suspect that they were distinguished people in the society of the time since burial ships in general are very rare," said Anton Seiler.

Only months ago, Viking ship burial and a large number of burial mounds and longhouses, were detected by georadar in in Østfold County,  Norway.

Before the age of Christianity, when Vikings still worshiped pagan gods it was common to bury a Viking along with his belongings, often lying in a boat or a wagon to make the journey to the next world easier. People believed the deceased person would need certain objects in the afterlife.

Based on discovered archaeological evidence it seems that the funeral boat or wagon was a practice which was reserved for the wealthy.

Written by Conny Waters - AncientPages.com Staff Writer