The stone ship or ship setting was an early burial custom in Scandinavia, Northern Germany, and the Baltic states. The grave or cremation burial was surrounded by slabs or stones in the shape of a boat or ship. The ships vary in size and were erected from c. 1000BCE to 1000CE.
The two greatest stone ships at Anund's barrow in Sweden.Stone ships on Gotland, Sweden
Stone ships were an early burial custom, characteristically Scandinavian but also found in Northern Germany and the Baltic states. The grave or cremation burial was surrounded by tightly or loosely fit slabs or stones in the outline of a ship. They are often found in grave fields, but are sometimes far from any other archaeological remains.
Ship settings are of varying sizes, some of monumental proportions. The largest known is the mostly destroyed Jelling stone ship in Denmark, which was at least 170 m (560 ft) long. In Sweden, the size varies from 67 m (220 ft) (Ale's Stones) to only a few metres. The orientation also varies. Inside, they can be cobbled or filled with stones, or have raised stones in the positions of masts. The illusion of being ships has often been reinforced by larger stones at the ends. Some have an oblique stern.
Scattered examples are found in Northern Germany and along the coast of the Baltic States. Excavations have shown that they are usually from the latter part of the Nordic Bronze Age, c. 1000BCE – 500BCE (e.g. Gotland) or from the Germanic Iron Age, the Vendel Period and the Viking Age (e.g. Blekinge and Scania).
Scholars have suggested both that the stone ship developed out of the desire to equip the dead with everything he had in life, and alternatively that it was specifically associated with the journey to Hel.[1] One puzzling feature is that they sometimes occur at the base of a barrow, enclosing a flat area presumably intended for public ceremonies.[2]
In a paper published in 2012, Joseph S. Hopkins and Haukur Þorgeirsson propose a connection between stone ships and the image of a 'ship in a field' that the goddess Freyja's afterlife locations Fólkvangr and Sessrúmnir produce when considered together. According to Hopkins and Haukur, "'A ship in the field' in the mythical realm may have been conceived as a reflection of actual burial customs and vice versa. It is possible that the symbolic ship was thought of as providing some sort of beneficial property to the land, such as good seasons and peace brought on by Freyr’s mound burial in Ynglinga saga."[3]
Bække, Denmark. 800 m north of Bække there is a 45 m (148 ft) ship which dates to the Viking Age.
Jelling stone ship. Under the southern mound in Jelling, Denmark, which is associated with Queen Thyra, remains of a giant Viking Age stone ship have been found, by far the largest known: either 170 or 354 m (558 or 1,161 ft).
Kerteminde fjord, Denmark, a 20 m (66 ft) ship which dates to the Viking Age.
Lejre, Denmark. An approximately 80 m (260 ft) ship of 28 stones. The ship was cleared in 1921 by a landowner, but some local people interested in history succeeded in saving the stones. Viking Age.
Lindholm Høje near Aalborg, Denmark. The highest concentration of well-preserved stone ships.[4]
Glavendrup stone contains the longest rune text in Denmark and is a part of a stone ship located in Glavendruplunden in Northern Funen. The stone ship was built around a Bronze Age tumulus.
Ale's Stones is a stone ship in southernmost Sweden. It is 67 m (220 ft) long and 19 m (62 ft) wide.
Anundshög double stone ship at Anundshög (from the Old Norsehaugr, mound) has a total length of 100 m (330 ft) and one of the ships is 25 m (82 ft) wide. In the same area there are several smaller stone ships.
Askeberga stone ships is Sweden's second largest stone ship, measuring 55 m (180 ft) in length. It is, however, the most remarkable one as it is made of 24 enormous boulders, weighing about 25 tonnes each.
Blomsholm stone ships. The stone ship at Blomsholm near Strömstad in Bohuslän measures more than 40 m (130 ft) in length and consists of 49 large menhirs. The bow and stern are about 4 m (13 ft) high. There are several other large megaliths in the area.
^Treib, Mark (2001). "The Landscape of Loved Ones". In Wolschke-Bulmahn, Joachim (ed.). Places of Commemoration: Search for Identity and Landscape Design, Selected papers from the 19th Dumbarton Oaks Colloquium on the History of Landscape Architecture held in 1995. Washington, D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection. pp. 88–106 + 98, note 27. ISBN0-88402-260-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Environmental Baseline Study, Oland, Sweden, Öland, Sweden, July 2004
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April 26, 2024
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Not to be confused with Ship burial or Stone frigate The stone ship or ship setting was an early burial custom in Scandinavia Northern Germany and the Baltic states The grave or cremation burial was surrounded by slabs or stones in the shape of a boat or ship The ships vary in size and were erected from c 1000 BCE to 1000 CE The two greatest stone ships at Anund s barrow in Sweden Stone ships on Gotland Sweden Contents 1 History 2 Notable stone ships 2 1 Denmark 2 2 Germany 2 3 Sweden 2 4 Estonia 2 5 Latvia 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory editStone ships were an early burial custom characteristically Scandinavian but also found in Northern Germany and the Baltic states The grave or cremation burial was surrounded by tightly or loosely fit slabs or stones in the outline of a ship They are often found in grave fields but are sometimes far from any other archaeological remains Ship settings are of varying sizes some of monumental proportions The largest known is the mostly destroyed Jelling stone ship in Denmark which was at least 170 m 560 ft long In Sweden the size varies from 67 m 220 ft Ale s Stones to only a few metres The orientation also varies Inside they can be cobbled or filled with stones or have raised stones in the positions of masts The illusion of being ships has often been reinforced by larger stones at the ends Some have an oblique stern nbsp Blomsholm Sweden Scattered examples are found in Northern Germany and along the coast of the Baltic States Excavations have shown that they are usually from the latter part of the Nordic Bronze Age c 1000 BCE 500 BCE e g Gotland or from the Germanic Iron Age the Vendel Period and the Viking Age e g Blekinge and Scania Scholars have suggested both that the stone ship developed out of the desire to equip the dead with everything he had in life and alternatively that it was specifically associated with the journey to Hel 1 One puzzling feature is that they sometimes occur at the base of a barrow enclosing a flat area presumably intended for public ceremonies 2 In a paper published in 2012 Joseph S Hopkins and Haukur THorgeirsson propose a connection between stone ships and the image of a ship in a field that the goddess Freyja s afterlife locations Folkvangr and Sessrumnir produce when considered together According to Hopkins and Haukur A ship in the field in the mythical realm may have been conceived as a reflection of actual burial customs and vice versa It is possible that the symbolic ship was thought of as providing some sort of beneficial property to the land such as good seasons and peace brought on by Freyr s mound burial in Ynglinga saga 3 Notable stone ships editDenmark edit nbsp Lindholm Hoje Baekke Denmark 800 m north of Baekke there is a 45 m 148 ft ship which dates to the Viking Age Jelling stone ship Under the southern mound in Jelling Denmark which is associated with Queen Thyra remains of a giant Viking Age stone ship have been found by far the largest known either 170 or 354 m 558 or 1 161 ft Kerteminde fjord Denmark a 20 m 66 ft ship which dates to the Viking Age Lejre Denmark An approximately 80 m 260 ft ship of 28 stones The ship was cleared in 1921 by a landowner but some local people interested in history succeeded in saving the stones Viking Age Lindholm Hoje near Aalborg Denmark The highest concentration of well preserved stone ships 4 Glavendrup stone contains the longest rune text in Denmark and is a part of a stone ship located in Glavendruplunden in Northern Funen The stone ship was built around a Bronze Age tumulus Germany edit nbsp Altes Lager Menzlin Altes Lager Menzlin near Anklam Western Pomerania Germany The stone ships date back to the 9th century Sweden edit nbsp Anundshog Ale s Stones is a stone ship in southernmost Sweden It is 67 m 220 ft long and 19 m 62 ft wide Anundshog double stone ship at Anundshog from the Old Norse haugr mound has a total length of 100 m 330 ft and one of the ships is 25 m 82 ft wide In the same area there are several smaller stone ships Askeberga stone ships is Sweden s second largest stone ship measuring 55 m 180 ft in length It is however the most remarkable one as it is made of 24 enormous boulders weighing about 25 tonnes each Blomsholm stone ships The stone ship at Blomsholm near Stromstad in Bohuslan measures more than 40 m 130 ft in length and consists of 49 large menhirs The bow and stern are about 4 m 13 ft high There are several other large megaliths in the area Gettlinge grave field Oland Sweden 5 Hulterstad grave field Oland Sweden includes a total of 170 burial locations Tjelvar s Grave image in Boge according to legend the grave of Gotland s mythical discoverer Thjelvar dated c 750 BCE Estonia edit Lulle double stone ship on Saaremaa island with lengths of 7 5 m 25 ft and 6 m 20 ft and a width of 2 m 6 6 ft dating from around 900 BCE Vao stone ship which had been covered by later stone cist graves Latvia edit nbsp Bilavu Velna laiva in Courland Velna laivas Devils ships mainly in Talsi Municipality northern Courland dated c 950 750 BCE See also editStone circle Iron Age Menhir Ship burial Solar bargeReferences edit Hilda Roderick Ellis The Road to Hel A Study of the Conception of the Dead in Old Norse Literature Cambridge University 1943 pp 28 29 Ellis p 111 Hopkins Joseph S and Haukur THorgeirsson 2012 The Ship in the Field Archived 11 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine RMN Newsletter 3 2011 14 18 University of Helsinki Treib Mark 2001 The Landscape of Loved Ones In Wolschke Bulmahn Joachim ed Places of Commemoration Search for Identity and Landscape Design Selected papers from the 19th Dumbarton Oaks Colloquium on the History of Landscape Architecture held in 1995 Washington D C Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection pp 88 106 98 note 27 ISBN 0 88402 260 9 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Environmental Baseline Study Oland Sweden Oland Sweden July 2004 nbsp Wikimedia 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