The Buried Treasure of Piksborg: A 14th-century Castle Ruin in Småland

Piksborg, a castle ruin from the late 14th century, lies in the heart of Småland, Sweden. Strategically located near the border between Denmark and Sweden, Piksborg served as a fortress and center for the King’s sheriffs in Sunnerbo. The name Piksborg may originate from Ebbe Pik, a Halland knight who owned estates in Finnveden in the 1360s. By the late 1300s, Abraham Brodersson Tjurhuvud owned Piksborg. In 1439, one of Engelbrekt’s uprising armies took Piksborg.

Olof Ragnvaldsson, steward on Piksborg, negotiated with the leader of the uprising, Herman Berman. During the negotiations, the castle was set on fire, and Piksborg was completely destroyed and abandoned. The ruins were excavated under the leadership of civil engineer Algot Friberg and captain Bror Kugelberg in 1908. Rich findings were unearthed, including numerous coins that allowed the dating of Piksborg's use from 1360 to 1439. Findings of metal craft in large quantities indicate that Piksborg was also important for trade and craft in the surrounding area.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons