Latest news with #Arkeologerna
Fox News
2 days ago
- General
- Fox News
History buff uncovers lost medieval monastery thanks to strange map symbol
A history buff with a metal detector recently led archaeologists to the site of a medieval monastery – all thanks to a strange symbol spotted on an old map. Arkeologerna, an archaeological organization affiliated with the Swedish government, announced the discovery this month. The remains of the monastery were found in a field in Derome, in southwest Sweden. In a statement translated from Swedish to English, Arkeologerna credited hobbyist Göran Bengtsson with pinpointing the site. While studying 18th-century maps, Bengtsson noticed a strange rectangle — and brought himself to the site. A surveyor marked the location as "Klosterkullen," or "monastery hill," on a 1760 map. After an alert from Bengtsson, archaeologists headed out to the location to use ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to scope out the site. GPR can show things hidden in the ground — and it revealed the walls of "probable" monastery ruins. Archaeologist Bengt Westergaard said the find came as a total surprise to him. "I have worked as an archaeologist for 40 years, and this is something unique," Westergaard said. He added, "I have never seen anything like it; the walls were very clearly visible." "I have never seen anything like it." The weather conditions helped archaeologists, too. Bengtsson found traces of the monastery on a dry summer day. "When the ground is dry, something called crop marks can form, and these walls are very visible above ground," he explained. "When using ground-penetrating radar, any structures below ground appear as dark spots, and here there was a significant anomaly." Archaeologists uncovered walls which are roughly 6.5 feet thick, as well as other facets of the building. Experts believe the walls were remains of pillar foundations. "It is the eastern wing and dormitory we see," Arkeologerna's statement added. "It is not certain that more was built; they may have started building the church and then stopped." "We won't know until we investigate the site further." Dating back to the late 1100s, the monastery might be the original site of Ås Abbey, a large monastery managed by the Cistercian religious order. "Ås … was later moved in the 13th century," the statement continued. "In a letter from a meeting in 1243, the then-abbot applied to move Ås monastery." Sweden, a Nordic country rich in history, has been home to several historical discoveries in the past year. Last spring, archaeologists uncovered a 12th century grave during a dig – and found buried treasure along with it. This year, Arkeologerna announced the discovery of an "unusual" Viking-era coffin dating back over 1,100 years.
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Science
- Miami Herald
Viking-era silver treasures found on farm in Sweden and restored. See them shine
Sifting through the stony soil of southern Sweden, archaeologists uncovered dozens of Viking-era structures and hundreds of artifacts. One remarkable find stood out from all the rest: a collection of ancient silver treasures. A team of archaeologists excavated a massive Viking Age farm and adjacent burial ground in Täby from 2020 to 2021. The site had been occupied for roughly 500 years — from 500 to 1050 A.D. — and still had many traces of its ancient inhabitants, Arkeologerna said in a May 30 news release. When the dig finished, archaeologists had found 34 ruined buildings, about 15 ritual deposits, five graves and over 1,450 artifacts. The finds took them years to document, analyze, preserve and clean. The effort resulted in two detailed reports published in early May John Hamilton, a project manager with Arkeologerna, described the Täby site as incredibly exciting because of its variety — and its unique silver treasures. The excavation at Täby uncovered a buried pot filled with silver arm rings, necklaces, beads, coin pendants, an amulet, a ring and some fabric, archaeologists said in a report. The Viking-era collection was astonishing for its size, variety and quality of preservation. The treasure might have been buried in honor of a high-ranking individual and involved a long, grand ceremony, Hamilton said in the release. Reconstructions show how the collection was originally buried. Several of the ancient silver items had braided or twisted designs and ended in a diamond-shaped piece, photos show. Archaeologists identified the 12 coin pendants as a mixture of European and Islamic coins all dating between 904 and 997 A.D. Photos show two of these items, which have added hooks to allow them to be worn as pendants. Arkeologerna described the silver treasures as unusual and astonishing. Other finds from Täby included pottery, bones and seeds. Archaeologists analyzed the DNA of several people buried at the site and confirmed several were related. Täby is a town roughly 10 miles north from Stockholm. Google Translate was used to translate the news release from Arkeologerna, part of Sweden's National Historical Museums (SHM).
Miami Herald
22-05-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Hobbyist studying old map notices odd mark that leads to medieval find in Sweden
Göran Bengtsson, a hobby archaeologist, was studying an 18th-century map of southwestern Sweden when he noticed something unusual. A rectangle and the word 'Klosterkullen,' which translates to 'monastery hill,' was drawn in an area that today is an empty field in Derome, according to a May 13 news release from the Swedish archaeology service Arkeologerna. On a dry summer day, Bengtsson scanned the area using a drone and metal detector. He found clear traces or crop marks in the ground — evidence of a buried structure, experts said. Bengtsson enlisted the help of professional archaeologist Bengt Westergaard at Arkeologerna. Ground-penetrating radar confirmed the presence of 6.5-feet-thick walls, pillar foundations and other building parts. Bengtsson had discovered a medieval monastery likely dating back to the late 12th century, according to the release. Experts said this may have been the east wing of the unfinished Cistercian monastery of Ås, the release said. A letter from a meeting in 1243 shows the then-abbot, or head of the monastery, applied to have it moved. The site was relocated some time during the 13th century, according to experts. Westergaard said in his 40 years as an archaeologist, he has never seen anything like this, according to the release. The Order of Cistercians was part of the Roman Catholic monastic order founded in 1098. The group was made up of monks, and eventually, nuns. Additional ground-penetrating radar scans will be performed to try and locate more of the monastery, experts said. No archaeological excavations have been planned. Derome is about a 340-mile drive southwest from Stockholm. Google Translate was used to translate the news release from Arkeologerna.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Construction Workers Discovered Not One, Not Two, But Six Centuries-Old Shipwrecks
Crews working on the Varberg Tunnel railway project in Sweden recently uncovered six shipwrecks near the historic city. The wrecks ranged from the Middle Ages to the 17th century, and exemplified multiple ship designs and construction styles. The most intriguing ship was from the 1530s, as it remained the most intact for further study. Construction on the Varberg Tunnel in Sweden—part of a modern railway project—has resulted in an unexpected bounty of historical underwater finds: six shipwrecks spanning the Middle Ages to the 17th century, all maritime remnants of what was once a bustling harbor. Of the six separate wrecks found, four are from the Middle Ages (or Late Middle Ages), one is from the 17th century, and one couldn't be dated, according to a translated report from archaeology consultant group Arkeologerna. Elisabet Schager, Arkeologerna project manager, said in a translated statement that wrecks Nos. 2, 5, and 6 were the most intriguing. Found in the central part of the city, which was once an original shoreline and location of harbor defenses, Wreck 2 was both the most preserved and the only with a continuous structure. Wrecks 5 and 6 required hasty removal due to time constraints on the tunnel's construction project, which could have left additional portions of the ships underground. Wreck 2 comprises the remains of an oak sailing ship built during the second half of the 1530s. Using timber from West Sweden, the clinker-built style craft—where the edges of the timbers overlap—still included two hull sections from the ship's starboard side, along with scattered timbers. The ship's design also featured a berghult, or rock beam—a protective strip on the outside of the hull, which Schager called 'exciting.' The piece functions as a reinforcing support strip to protect the hull when docking, and can also serve as a brace for the superstructure. The ship was either fully or partially decked. In a fascinating twist, the team found traces of a fire on the protective strip of Wreck 2, meaning that the ship could have been intentionally burned before it sank. Wreck 5, which is from the 17th century, has much in common with Wreck 2, including local oak and a clinker-plank design. Experts believe both ships were likely sailed in the waters beyond the two medieval cities of Varberg and Ny Varberg, and that Wreck 5 also likely sailed much of the Baltic Sea. Wreck 6, though, differs from the opther two craft. This was the only caravel-style ship of the six, a style in which the planks are laid edge to edge, attached to the frame, and not wrapped around for a smooth finish. Also made of oak, Wreck 6 was the only wreckage with a preserved keel. This rabbeted (or grooved) keel shows traces of Dutch shipbuilding tradition, but experts were unable to date the timber. Wrecks 3 and 4—both from the 14th century—were flat-bottomed ships common in medieval trade. Crews will work to analyze these ships further, hoping to find additional clues about maritime life during the Middle Ages, including the area's trade networks. As more large infrastructure projects occur on the West Coast of Sweden, Schager said that crews are finding more shipwrecks in the areas that were either harbors or entirely underwater during the Middle Ages and early modern period, but may now be parts of city centers. The current work is happening in tandem with Bohuslän Museum, Visual Archaeology, and Cultural Environment Halland. 'It will be very interesting,' Schager said, 'and we will have a lot of exciting things to tell in the future.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
New York Post
17-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
Strange Viking grave with ‘Christian overtones' discovered by perplexed archaeologists: ‘Very unusual'
Swedish archaeologists recently found an 'unusual' Viking-era coffin dating back over 1,100 years. The discovery was announced by Arkeologerna, an archaeological organization affiliated with the Swedish government, in April. Advertisement The grave was found on the outskirts of Linköping, a city in southern Sweden, in fall 2022, though the find was unknown until last month. In a Facebook post, Arkeologerna said its archaeologists were investigating a stone quarry in the area when they came across the 'unusual coffin grave.' 'The stone arrangement stood alone in majesty on the crest of a hill,' the organization said in a statement translated from Swedish to English. 'The view from there was expansive over the flat plains surrounding Linköping.' Arkeologerna added that the stone arrangement 'had a very strong edge chain, mostly consisting of edge-set blocks.' Advertisement 'In the middle was a coffin grave from the 10th century,' the translated statement added. 'The coffin had been placed in a grave shaft with stone-lined sides.' 4 The Viking-era gravesite was discovered on the outskirts of Linköping, a city in southern Sweden, in fall 2022. Arkeologerna Archaeologists soon found that the person in the grave had been buried with an axe and a dagger, and that there were 'remnants of textile, likely from a garment.' Pictures show archaeologists working at the site of the carefully arranged stone circle, along with a preserved nail and a wooden sheath that held a knife. Advertisement The buried person, most likely a man, came from the 'upper echelons of society,' according to the archaeological organization. 4 A preserved nail was discovered at the site by archaeologists. Arkeologerna The grave also dates back to a pivotal point in Swedish history when inhabitants gradually transitioned from pagan customs to Christian ones. The burial was 'done with Christian overtones, but the stone setting was erected on a burial site from the older Iron Age.' Advertisement Arkeologerna project manager Alf Eriksson said that he 'really did not expect a coffin grave from the Viking era.' 4 The wooden sheath that held a knife was found in the gravesite. Arkeologerna 'Previously, we have investigated stone settings in the area, and they have been from the older Iron Age, so we thought this one would be, too,' the expert said. 'The strong edge chain of raised/edge-set stone blocks is very unusual.' The discovery is one of many fascinating Viking-related finds in recent months. 4 The grave also dates back to a pivotal point in Swedish history when inhabitants gradually transitioned from pagan customs to Christian ones. Arkeologerna In January, a University Museum of Bergen archaeologist spoke to Fox News Digital about recently discovered Viking graves that were filled with coins, jewelry and other treasure. Last year, metal detectorists on the Isle of Man stumbled across a 1,000-year-old Viking 'wallet,' filled with 36 silver coins that were minted between 1000 and 1065.
