Anundshög Burial Mounds
Anundshög Västerås
Iron Age–Viking (500 BCE–1050 CE)·South Scandinavian Iron Age·🇸🇪 Västmanland County, Västerås Municipality, Sweden
About
About Anundshög Burial Mounds
Sweden's greatest burial field (14 ha) at Anundshög–Badelunda 9 km NE of Västerås: 14 m high 60 m diameter Anund mound (c.550 CE), 12 smaller mounds, 9 stone ships (largest 53×16 m), 12 stone circles and 11th-c rune stone Vs13 (Anund stone 2.5 m). Adjacent ting mound and labyrinth. Legend of King Anund Bröt-Anund. Excavated by Hallström. Sveriges largest tumulus.
Why it mattersSweden's greatest burial field (14 ha) at Anundshög–Badelunda 9 km NE of Västerås: 14 m high 60 m diameter Anund mound (c.550 CE), 12 smaller mounds, 9 stone ships (largest 53×16 m), 12 stone circles and 11th-c rune stone Vs13 (Anund stone 2.5 m). Adjacent ting mound and labyrinth. Legend of King An
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Identity of Anund buried
- 02Thing vs burial primacy
Theories
- 01Anundshög as Badelunda chiefdom thing centre
- 02Stone ships as afterlife vessels
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Mound Anundshög 6th century CE; field 500 BCE–
- Period
- Iron Age–Viking (500 BCE–1050 CE)
- Culture
- South Scandinavian Iron Age
- Purpose
- Royal burial field with Sweden's largest mound and thing
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
On the ground
Structures & features
59.6299° N · 16.6458° E · 35 m · 3 mapped features
Anund Mound
mound14 m high tumulus 60 m diameter
59.6299° N · 16.6458° EStone Ship (Tuna)
ship setting53×16 m stone ship south of mound
59.6295° N · 16.6465° EVs 13 Rune Stone
runestone11th century rune stone 2.5 m on mound
59.6299° N · 16.6459° E
Gallery