On the shores of Lake Vänern in western Sweden lies the village of Skalunda. Despite its current status as a small village in Lidköpings kommun, it once served as an important administrative centre for a larger area called Skalunda bo, and may have been ruled by kings. For the last few centuries, it has been a royal farm and home to a significant church. But it is the pre-modern layers beneath the modern ones that tell Skalunda's most interesting story. Scrape them away and a web of history and legend emerges, connecting this place to kings, conquerors, and the beginnings of Sweden. One of the most famous legends – the poem Beowulf – may have Skalunda's highest mound as the final resting place of the titular hero. If true, that would be an extraordinary story indeed.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
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