Between 1990 and 1995, the National Heritage Board excavated extensively in the Black Earth at Björkö in lake Mälaren - the Viking Age town area of Birka. The Birka Excavations - results are presented in the series Birka Studies, currently under publication by The Birka Project.

Already in the 1870s, the Black Earth area was investigated by Hjalmar Stolpe. Originally educated in the natural sciences, he became one of Sweden's foremost early field archaeologists. The finds from his investigations are catalogued but lack the important stratigraphic information for comparing Birka's development with other contemporary, North European town sites. There was a crucial need for modern excavations. The Birka Excavations were made possible through a generous donation by Dr. Gad Rausing and Tetra Pak AB in 1989.

90,000 finds

The Birka Excavations were carried out between 1990-1995, lead by Dr. Björn Ambrosiani at the National Heritage Board and the Museum of National Antiquities. The purpose was to study the town plan, looking at settlement continuity and stability, and ecological changes in Birka's town area. Altogether 350 m2 of the area adjacent to Birka's harbor were investigated. This yielded a considerable material: more than 4,000 stratigraphic units, finds and find groups reaching 90,000 and a bone material weighing 6,000 kgs - remains from the town's produce and daily living - along with a considerable sample material for scientific analysis.

The Results

- Birka was established in the mid-700s A.D. when the Baltic Sea at the site lay c. 6.5 meters higher than today. Contemporary finds, from the transition between the Vendel Period and Viking Age, are richly represented.

- The Svea king was active in establishing the town. A fragmentary stone ball with the profile of an eagle was found in the bottom layers. This figure is linked to the Uppsala kings, reputed to have descended from Odin who often was depicted as an eagle.

- Already from its earliest existence, Birka's large foreign population with particular house types and craft techniques lived side by side with its domestic Svea population. Typical domestic cremation graves with stone settings and mounds are richly found, as well as the inhumation graves in wooden coffins and chambers characteristic of its foreign inhabitants.

- A bronze caster's workshop lay near the shore adjacent to the earliest jetty where all types of early 9th century objects known from the Mälar area were produced.

- Birka held a central role in trading furs: thousands of paw bones from squirrel, marten and fox were left from preparing furs and pelts before export to other parts of the world.

- Birka was fortified since the 9th century.

- The thick deposit of the excavated area consists of 8 main phases. The earliest contains constructions lying on the original shore and the latest contains remains of Birka's latest settlement phase, partly destroyed by ploughing after its abandonment.

- Clear changes are seen in Birka's external contacts: prior to the late 9th century all foreign goods originated from Western Europe, later finds originate from Russia, Byzantium and the Eastern Caliphate.

The archaeological material is currently being researched by a small group of archaeologists lead by Professor Björn Ambrosiani. The natural scientific material is currently being analyzed by the Institute for Geography and Quaternary Geology at Stockholm University, lead by Professor Urve Miller. The results of this research are published in the project's series Birka Studies.

For more information:

Prof. Björn Ambrosiani, Birkaprojektet.

Contact:

Send email to the Birka Project