A royal mound from the Vendel period in Uppland

Ottar's mound in Vendels socken in Tierps kommun in Uppland dates back to the elder Vendel period. According to local beliefs, it may be the burial place of a king named Ottar, who is thought to be linked to the king Ottar Vendelkråka. The mound, measuring 37 meters in diameter and 6 meters high, is classified as a royal mound because its diameter is larger than 30 meters. Around it lies a cemetery from the same time period.

The mound was excavated in 1914 and 1916, with a wooden vessel filled with ashes found in the center. The wooden vessel had bronze bands and traces of gilding. Amongst the ashes were found the remains of a man and a woman, as well as offerings of animals like a dog and a bird.

While the finds were relatively sparse, they were of good quality. Some metal fragments were found that resembled the press metal found in the well-known Vendel period graves in the vicinity. A notable comb with a sheath was also among the grave finds. A gold coin, a solidus minted as late as 477, was also found. The coin was perforated and was probably worn as jewelry. It was also very heavily worn and probably used for a long time.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons