Karleby Passage Graves
Falbygden Karleby Dolmens · Karleby Langdolmen
Middle Neolithic·Funnel Beaker Culture (TRB)·🇸🇪 Västra Götaland, Falbygden, Sweden
About
About Karleby Passage Graves
Principal Falbygden (Falköping) passage grave cluster — Sweden's densest megalithic area with 28 passage graves within 9 km² limestone plateau. Karleby graves include dolmen Ragnvald's Grave (Ragnvalds Grab, trapezoidal chamber 5.6 m with 3 capstones) and passage graves Karleby Log (Logdösen) with 13 m passage and Rössberga. Built c.3300 BCE Funnel Beaker with remains of 60+ individuals per tomb and amber beads. UNESCO tentative.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Extremely high grave density — near-settlement concentration
Theories
- 01Falbygden as chiefdom core with limestone resource control
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. 3300 BCE
- Period
- Middle Neolithic
- Culture
- Funnel Beaker Culture (TRB)
- Purpose
- Passage grave collective burials
- Abandoned
- c.2300 BCE
- Rediscovered
- Antiquarian 18th century; excavation by Cullberg
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 3300 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1357 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
58.1495° N · 13.6388° E · 220 m · 2 mapped features
Ragnvald's Grave
passage graveTrapezoidal chamber 5.6 m with three capstones
58.1495° N · 13.6388° ELogdösen
passage gravePassage grave with 13 m passage east of village
58.1500° N · 13.6400° E