Valsgärde facts for kids
Valsgärde (also spelled Vallsgärde) is an old farm located in Sweden. It sits by the Fyris river, about three kilometers north of Gamla Uppsala. Gamla Uppsala was once a very important place. It was the center for Swedish kings and ancient beliefs.
The farm you see today was built in the 1500s. But Valsgärde is famous for something much older. It has a special burial ground from the Swedish Vendel Age. This period was part of the Iron Age, from about 550 to 793 AD. It was also just before the well-known Viking Age. People used this burial site for over 300 years. The first burials, including ship burials, were from the 500s. The last graves date to the 1000s.
Discovering Ancient Burials
Archaeologists found and dug up the Valsgärde site in the 1920s. Before this, similar important graves had only been found in a place called Vendel. That's why this time in Scandinavian history is called the Vendel Period.
The graves at Valsgärde are very rich and grand. They are almost exactly like some found in England, at a site called Sutton Hoo. Those English graves are from around 610 to 635 AD.
Who Was Buried at Valsgärde?
Historians have different ideas about who was buried in these important graves. Some think they were members of the Yngling family, who were powerful rulers. Others believe they were strong warriors from a system called Leidang. This system involved people serving in the military.
Another idea is that the buried people were local leaders. They might have become wealthy through trade. Valsgärde was in a great spot for trade. It was between the Mälaren fjord and the important region of Tiundaland. Because so many rich graves were found, it's very likely that most of the people buried there were royalty or very important leaders.
