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Abstract
Key Takeaways
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The Iron Age ritual building at Uppåkra, southern Sweden

Profile image of Lars LarssonLars Larsson
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003598X00094813Last updated
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15 pages

Abstract

Six years ago we reported the discovery of a central place at Uppåkra in southern Sweden which promised to be unusually rich and informative (Hårdh 2000). At 40ha it already stood out as the largest concentration of residual phosphate in the whole province of Scania, with surface finds of Roman and late Iron Age metalwork (second-tenth century AD). Following this thorough evaluation, the project moved into its excavation phase which has brought to light several buildings of the first millennium AD, among them one that has proved truly exceptional. Its tall structure and numerous ornamented finds suggest an elaborate timber cult house. This is the first Scandinavian building for which the term 'temple' can be justly claimed and it is already sign-posting new directions for the early middle ages in northern Europe.

Key takeaways
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AI

  1. Uppåkra is the largest Iron Age site in southern Sweden, covering 40ha with rich archaeological finds.
  2. The ritual building, a unique stave house, was in use from the 3rd century AD to the Viking Age.
  3. Excavations revealed over 20,000 finds, including a significant collection of gold-foil figures and metalwork.
  4. A cache of a bronze beaker and glass bowl suggests the building's religious significance and high craftsmanship.
  5. Uppåkra's continuous occupation reflects its long-standing political, social, and religious importance in Iron Age Scandinavia.
Figures (10)
Figure 1. Southern Scandinavia with Uppakra and other sites mentioned in the text.
Figure 1. Southern Scandinavia with Uppakra and other sites mentioned in the text.
Figure 2. Above: The excavation areas within Uppakra during the field campaigns 2001-2004 (grey shading). A-B: mounds; C-D: destroyed mounds; E: present church; F: the special building. Below: The location of features around the cultic building. 1: house partly excavated in 1934 and in 2006; 2: stone paving; 3: concentration of fire-cracked stones and bones; 4: the house sequences; 5: area with several long- houses; 6: concentrations of weapons; 7: sparse distribution of weapons
Figure 2. Above: The excavation areas within Uppakra during the field campaigns 2001-2004 (grey shading). A-B: mounds; C-D: destroyed mounds; E: present church; F: the special building. Below: The location of features around the cultic building. 1: house partly excavated in 1934 and in 2006; 2: stone paving; 3: concentration of fire-cracked stones and bones; 4: the house sequences; 5: area with several long- houses; 6: concentrations of weapons; 7: sparse distribution of weapons
Figure 3. Plan of the special building. 1: pits; 2: roof-supporting posts and walls; 3: fireplace. The ritual deposition of a beaker made of bronze and silver as well as a glass bowl is marked by a black dot. The grey dots mark the positions of the gold-foil figures. This plan is a combination of the last phase of the building — the post-holes and the wall-trenches, while the floor has been ploughed away. The remaining inner part of the house with the fireplace belong to the second-last stage.
Figure 3. Plan of the special building. 1: pits; 2: roof-supporting posts and walls; 3: fireplace. The ritual deposition of a beaker made of bronze and silver as well as a glass bowl is marked by a black dot. The grey dots mark the positions of the gold-foil figures. This plan is a combination of the last phase of the building — the post-holes and the wall-trenches, while the floor has been ploughed away. The remaining inner part of the house with the fireplace belong to the second-last stage.
Figure 4. The holes for the roof-supporting posts, like this one in the north-western part of the building, were about 2m deep.
Figure 4. The holes for the roof-supporting posts, like this one in the north-western part of the building, were about 2m deep.
Table 1. The radiocarbon dates from the cult house and bones of probably sacrificed animal and humans Finds of special character
Table 1. The radiocarbon dates from the cult house and bones of probably sacrificed animal and humans Finds of special character
Figure 5. A: A beaker (height 168mm) made of bronze and silver with embossed gold bands with figurative representations of humans, snakes and horses. It dates to about 500 AD and is a Scandinavian product (photograph by B. Almgren). B: A glass bowl (height 97mm) made in two layers of glass, a colourless transparent under-layer and a cobalt blue overlay cut so that bands form a rosette with petals encircling the body. Probably made in the area close to the Black Sea and dated to the sixth century (photograph by B. Almgren).
Figure 5. A: A beaker (height 168mm) made of bronze and silver with embossed gold bands with figurative representations of humans, snakes and horses. It dates to about 500 AD and is a Scandinavian product (photograph by B. Almgren). B: A glass bowl (height 97mm) made in two layers of glass, a colourless transparent under-layer and a cobalt blue overlay cut so that bands form a rosette with petals encircling the body. Probably made in the area close to the Black Sea and dated to the sixth century (photograph by B. Almgren).
Figure 6. Gold-foil figures. A-C: male representations. D: female representation. Heights: A: 24mm; B: 21mm; C. 14mm; D: 22mm (photograph by B. Almgren).
Figure 6. Gold-foil figures. A-C: male representations. D: female representation. Heights: A: 24mm; B: 21mm; C. 14mm; D: 22mm (photograph by B. Almgren).
Figure 7. Part of the concentration to the north of the building with intentionally destroyed weapons.
Figure 7. Part of the concentration to the north of the building with intentionally destroyed weapons.
Figure 8. The eyebrow arch made of gilded bronze with silver inlay (68mm) and two mountings shaped like boars of bronze belonging to a helmet. Probably of local manufacture and dated to the Merovingian period (photograph by B. Almgren).
Figure 8. The eyebrow arch made of gilded bronze with silver inlay (68mm) and two mountings shaped like boars of bronze belonging to a helmet. Probably of local manufacture and dated to the Merovingian period (photograph by B. Almgren).
Figure 9. A gold bracteate (diameter 30mm) found on top of a building floor to the west of the cult house. The bracteate shows a human figure surrounded by a runic description that does not form a reasonable sentence. It dates to the Migration period (photograph by B. Almgren).
Figure 9. A gold bracteate (diameter 30mm) found on top of a building floor to the west of the cult house. The bracteate shows a human figure surrounded by a runic description that does not form a reasonable sentence. It dates to the Migration period (photograph by B. Almgren).

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FAQs

sparkles

AI

What key features distinguish the ritual building at Uppåkra?add

The ritual building measured 13.5m by 6m and included a central fireplace, distinctively preserved post-holes, and multiple entrances, indicating its monumental significance during the Iron Age.

How does the timeline of construction phases at Uppåkra correlate with historical periods?add

Radiocarbon dating shows the first building phase began in the 3rd century AD, continuing through the Viking Age, reflecting a usage span of over 600 years.

What types of artifacts were discovered surrounding the ritual building?add

Artifacts included a bronze and silver beaker dated around AD 500, and over 111 gold-foil plaques, forming the second-largest collection in Scandinavia.

What implications do weapon depositions at Uppåkra have for understanding Iron Age beliefs?add

The north and south deposits contained over 300 weapons, suggesting ritualistic practices possibly linked to sacrifices during the 6th and 7th centuries AD.

How does the structural uniqueness of Uppåkra relate to its cultural significance?add

The building's oversized corner posts and stave-wall construction represent a blend of local tradition and ceremonial importance, reflecting societal stability over several centuries.

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Lars Larsson
Lund University, Emeritus
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Ritual building and ritual space Aspects of investigations at the Iron Age central site Uppåkra, Scania, Sweden
Lars Larsson

Old Norse religion in long-term perspectives, 2006

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Linear Iron Age monuments at Degeberga in Scania and elsewhere in Sweden. Evidence for a radical transformation of the ritual landscape
Ylva Wickberg

2013

In 2011 we excavated the remains of a complex Iron Age structure at Degeberga in the province of Scania in southern Sweden. The occasion was a rescue excavation of a Bronze Age settlement site. The discovery of the large-scale linear structure-consisting of hearths, pits, and postholesalong with an Iron Age cemetery required an extension of the excavated area (Björk & Wickberg 2012). The structure may at first sight seem unique, but it has many points in common with other cult and burial sites in Scandinavia. Ritual sites of the Scandinavian Iron Age are often associated with weapons, pots, human wetland sacrifices, hillforts and richly equipped graves. This paper focuses on ritual space in the Iron Age and how it changed over time, with brief looks at similar monumental configurations in the landscape and what they represent. Landscape and monuments Degeberga is in a topographically dramatic location where three types of landscape meet: undulating, light sandy soils descending towards the Baltic Sea to the southeast , the slope of the Linderödsåsen ridge to the west, and the good farmland and low wetlands of the Kristianstad plain to the north. There is a notable concentration of archaeological sites along the eastern slope of the ridge between the hamlets of Västra Vram and Degeberga. These are mainly fossil fields and burial monuments such as barrows and stone settings, many likely dating from the Bronze Age and

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LARGE-SCALE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION OF THE IRON AGE SETTLEMENT SITE UPPÅKRA – SWEDEN
Immo Trinks
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Ritual Structures in South Scandinavian Prehistory
Lars Larsson

Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 2008

An increasing number of buildings are coming to light on prehistoric sites in Scandinavia that seem to be related to ritual, cult, or religious activities. This paper documents examples of such buildings from the Mesolithic to the Viking Period. The Late Meolithic cemetery at Skateholm provides evidence for structures associated with materials only otherwise found in grave contexts. Certain aspects of Early Neolithic long barrows and palisaded enclosures may infer ritual practices not directly of a funerary nature. The later Neolithic was marked in the cultural groupings of various regions by the construction of palisaded enclosures, wooden structures associated with graves, or pile dwellings, each often associated with a rich finds assemblage and frequent evidence for burning. These structures and their contents show obvious distinctions from the contemporary domestic settlement and burial sites with which they were associated. Bronze Age examples include rectangular stone walled and D- and C-shaped wooden structures placed beside burial areas and facing cairns. The latter forms continue into the Iron Age, for which few other clear examples of ritual structures are apparent, in spite of historical references. Those that have been identified seem to be associated with important central places. The site of Uppåkra, in southernmost Sweden, has produced an unusual small building set beside a hall around and within which were deposited hundreds of weapons and gold and glass objects. This relationship bears a striking resemblance to the description of the hall of Wodan at Valhalla in Norse mythology.

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Viking Age Uppåkra. Between Paganism and Christianity. Lund Archaeological Review (2014), pp. 79-90.
Ing-Marie Nilsson

In 2013 a small archaeological excavation was carried out inside the nave of Uppåkra church, which resulted in the discovery of several children’s burials. One of them was dated to the Early Middle Ages, which opens up for the possibility that the medieval stone church may have had a predecessor. The aim of this article is to explore the evidence for pre-Christian and Christian ritual practices, and to address the question of religion in Viking Age Uppåkra.

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Barley grain at Uppåkra, Sweden: evidence for selection in the Iron Age
Mikael Larsson

Vegetation History and Archaeobotany

ad 200-400), while during the Migration Period (ad 400-550) several houses on the main site Uppåkra had assemblages of large grain size. The distribution of grain size at the regional centre Uppåkra shows a pattern that indicates that the handling of large high-quality barley grain was part of a spatial organization, and such organization is similar to other functions observed on the site. The long-term record of grain size patterns across time shows that a structure for handling grain was already in place during the early phase of the settlement and that it remained for centuries. This study indicates that the affluence otherwise seen at the regional centre Uppåkra from an abundance of high-status objects, could also include agricultural wealth, with extensive access to high-quality grain.

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Botanical evidence of malt for beer production in fifth–seventh century Uppåkra, Sweden
Mikael Larsson

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences

The excavation of a low-temperature kiln structure at an affluent Iron Age regional center, Uppåkra, located in southern Sweden, revealed from archeobotanical samples and its context evidence of malting in the process to make beer. Carbonized germinated hulled barley grain (Hordeum vulgare) was recovered from the kiln structure itself and from the surrounding occupational surface. Located somewhat from the central area of the site, where previous excavations have uncovered hall-buildings, a ceremonial structure, and several smaller houses, the investigated kiln was situated in an area on the site that is absent of remains to indicate a living quarter. Activities using kilns have instead primarily been linked to this area and archeological finds are mainly of charred crops remains. In this paper, we argue that the germination of grain was deliberate and that the kiln was used to stop the germination process by drying or roasting the grain. If the malting process for large-scale beer production was carried out at a designated area of the site is discussed, as well as if this activity area was part of a structural organization observed elsewhere on the settlement.

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Manuring practices in the first millennium AD in southern Sweden inferred from isotopic analysis of crop remains
Mikael Larsson

PLOS ONE

This study uses crop stable nitrogen isotope analysis of charred grain to explore manuring practices in arable production at the affluent regional center Uppåkra and a set of smaller surrounding sites, dating to the first millennium AD in southern Sweden. The isotopic analysis focuses on hulled barley, the principle crop in the Scandinavian Iron Age, and the minor crops: bread wheat, emmer wheat, rye and oat, are included to compare manuring practices in cultivation of other crop species during this period. A field experiment was first conducted to establish relationships between manuring and δ 15 N values in modern grain from known growing conditions. The data formed an interpretive framework to reconstruct past agricultural practices and manuring intensity in the archaeological study area. Our results from the ancient grains have demonstrated that barley from the early phase in the study area (AD 0-200) varies widely in its δ 15 N values, reflecting mixed manuring regimes. In the following periods (AD 200-1000), isotopic values are relatively high overall, indicating systematic input of manure. In this paper, we explore whether the isotopic data that indicates sustained and high manuring levels could reflect the wealth of Uppåkra and its surrounding areas by showing prosperity also in its agricultural production, since intensive manuring would have required more resource and labor investments. The new crop nitrogen isotopic data shed light on the agricultural practices of a long-lived Iron Age center and its surrounding areas.

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Between prehistory and history: the archaeological detection of social change among the Picts
Meggen Gondek

Antiquity, 2013

The development of small-scale kingdoms in the post-Roman world of northwestern Europe is a key stage in the subsequent emergence of medieval states. Recent excavations at Rhynie in north-eastern Scotland have thrown important light on the emergence of one such kingdom, that of the Picts. Enclosures, sculptured ‘symbol stones’ and long-distance luxury imports identify Rhynie as a place of growing importance during the fifth to sixth centuries AD. Parallels can be drawn with similar processes in southern Scandinavia, where leadership combined roles of ritual and political authority. The excavations at Rhynie and the synthesis of dated Pictish enclosures illustrate the contribution that archaeology can make to the understanding of state formation processes in early medieval Europe.

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Crossing the Maelstrom: New Departures in Viking Archaeology
Julie Lund

Journal of Archaeological Research, 2021

This paper reviews the achievements and challenges of archaeological research on Viking Age northern Europe and explores potential avenues for future research. We identify the reemergence of comparative and cross-cultural perspectives along with a turn toward studying mobility and maritime expansion, fueled by the introduction of biomolecular and isotopic data. The study of identity has seen a shift from a focus on collective beliefs and ritual to issues of personal identity and presentation, with a corresponding shift in attention to individual burials and the “animated objects.” Network ontologies have brought new perspectives on the emergence of sea trade and urban nodes and to the significance of outfield production and resources. Field archaeology has seen an emphasis on elite manors, feasting halls, and monuments, as well as military sites and thing assembly places, using new data from remote sensing, geophysical surveys, geoarchaeology, and metal detectors. Concerns over curr...

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