Ch. 1 · Mound Architecture And Scale

Borre mound cemetery.

~3 min read · Ch. 1 of 6

Seven large burial mounds rise from the grass at Borre National Park in Horten, Norway. Each mound reaches up to 6 meters high and spans over 45 meters across its base. These structures stand alongside twenty-one smaller cairns scattered throughout the forty-five-acre site. Some monuments have been destroyed by modern road-builders who used them as gravel pits during the mid-1800s. The remaining seven mounds and one visible cairn form an exceptional collection for all of Scandinavia. Archaeologists date the oldest mounds to around 600 AD, placing their construction before the Viking Age began.

Excavation History And Discovery

Local road crews dug into a richly equipped grave while using a mound as a gravel pit between 1851 and 1852. Antiquarian Nicolay Nicolaysen examined the damaged remains left behind after the destruction. He found weapons and riding equipment that had survived the heavy machinery work. This early damage revealed unusually good craftwork which now sits on display at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo. Smaller cairns received attention again in 1925 when investigators discovered they were simple cremation graves. Bjørn Myhre conducted more recent excavations within and around the national park from 1989 through 1991.

Borre Style Artifacts

The recovered items feature distinctive animal and knot ornaments known today as Borre style craftsmanship. These decorations often appeared on harnesses and other riding equipment found inside the mounds. Nicolay Nicolaysen documented these pieces during his examination of the disturbed grave site. The artistic quality of the surviving objects provides evidence of local power centers existing from the Merovingian period onward. Some smaller cairns yielded different results, containing only simple cremation remains without elaborate metalwork. The collection demonstrates a high level of skill among artisans working during the early medieval era.

Burial Hall Discoveries

Ground-penetrating radar measurements taken by the Swedish Central National Heritage Board in October 2007 revealed buried hall buildings. These scans identified two prehistoric structures near the cemetery for the first time ever. A large-scale survey led by the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute in March 2013 uncovered another massive hall building nearby. Researchers used snowmobiles to navigate the terrain while conducting the 2013 search operations. Geomorphological analysis suggested a prehistoric harbor likely existed at this location around 2015. The non-invasive scanning technology allowed archaeologists to map underground features without disturbing the soil.

Ship Burial Evidence

Archaeologists announced findings in March 2019 indicating a potential Viking-era ship burial beneath the ground. Current evidence points toward a typical construction method used as a tomb for high-ranking individuals. This discovery adds to the growing list of significant finds within the Borre mound cemetery complex. The identification process relied on data gathered from previous ground-penetrating radar surveys conducted over the last decade. No physical remains have been exposed yet, but the patterns detected suggest a vessel was once interred here.

Midgard Viking Center

The Midgard Viking Center opened its doors to visitors in the year 2000 at the Borre site. Originally named the Midgard Historical Center, it now operates under the Vestfold Museum system. Staff members provide guided tours and exhibitions designed to spread knowledge about the Viking Age. The facility serves as an educational hub for interpreting the surrounding national park landscape. Visitors can learn about the seven large mounds and the smaller cairns while exploring the history of the region. The center helps bridge the gap between ancient archaeological sites and modern public understanding.

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Common questions

Where is the Borre mound cemetery located?

The Borre mound cemetery is situated in Horten, Norway within Borre National Park. The site covers forty-five acres and contains seven large burial mounds alongside twenty-one smaller cairns.

When were the oldest mounds at the Borre mound cemetery built?

Archaeologists date the oldest mounds to around 600 AD before the Viking Age began. This places their construction during the Merovingian period rather than the later Viking era.

Who examined the damaged grave remains from the Borre mound cemetery in the mid-1800s?

Antiquarian Nicolay Nicolaysen examined the damaged remains left behind after road crews dug into a richly equipped grave between 1851 and 1852. He found weapons and riding equipment that survived the heavy machinery work and documented these pieces for history.

What did ground-penetrating radar reveal about the Borre mound cemetery in October 2007?

Ground-penetrating radar measurements taken by the Swedish Central National Heritage Board in October 2007 revealed buried hall buildings near the cemetery. These scans identified two prehistoric structures near the cemetery for the first time ever without disturbing the soil.

Why is the Borre style craftsmanship significant to the Borre mound cemetery?

The recovered items feature distinctive animal and knot ornaments known today as Borre style craftsmanship which appeared on harnesses and other riding equipment. The artistic quality of the surviving objects provides evidence of local power centers existing from the Merovingian period onward.

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