Viking Treasures Unearthed in Sweden Reveal a Society in Transition!
Archaeologists from Arkeologerna, part of the Swedish History Museums, have uncovered extraordinary Viking Age treasures during excavations carried out between 2021 and 2022 along the E18 motorway in Västmanland, Sweden. The digs, undertaken ahead of major roadworks between Köping and Västerås, revealed nine sites containing burials, settlements and cremation grounds, together painting a vivid picture of how life, death and belief evolved in the region over more than a millennium.
Among the most striking finds were two swords discovered standing upright in graves, an exceptionally rare practice believed to symbolise power or protection in the afterlife. Alongside these weapons, archaeologists unearthed beads, fragments of gold sheet metal, whalebone and clay gaming pieces, as well as beautifully decorated horse gear, all astonishingly well preserved after a thousand years beneath the soil.
Photo Credit: Arkeologerna, SHM
At Rallsta, near Hallstahammar, excavations revealed a cremation area atop a small hill, containing two large pyre settings from the Late Viking Age. The site appears to have been deliberately reshaped, its fires once visible for miles around. Archaeologists believe this was a gathering place for grand public funerals held for powerful chieftains or warriors. The finds represent some of the last large-scale cremations known in Sweden, from a time when Christianity was beginning to replace older pagan traditions.
In Munktorp parish, at Viby and Norrtuna, Viking graves were found built into an older Vendel Period burial mound, a clear act of ancestral connection. By reusing these sacred sites, the Vikings demonstrated continuity and lineage. The weapons and swords buried with the dead suggest that these individuals were elite warriors or members of a local ruling family. One remarkable grave even contained a man and a woman interred together, though their relationship remains a mystery.
Photo Credit: Arkeologerna, SHM
Further west, at Sylta near Köping, archaeologists uncovered one of Sweden’s youngest cremation and stone-setting cemeteries, used from the 9th century up until around 1200 CE. Nearly 30 graves from the 11th century contained horses cremated alongside their owners. Many were buried with ornate harness fittings, pendants and tinkling bells, vivid reminders that horses were powerful symbols of identity and status for both men and women in Viking society.
Beyond the spectacular burials, evidence of everyday life also emerged. Archaeologists found traces of bread baking, iron production and farming, revealing that this was not just a warrior society, but a living, working community. At Häljesta, a Viking farmstead was discovered beside Västmanland’s largest known rock carving site, linking prehistoric traditions to the lives of medieval settlers.
The results of this two-year project are now available in the newly published book People, Meetings and Memories – Archaeology along the E18 in Västmanland, funded by the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket). The publication explores how these communities lived, worshipped and adapted during a time of immense change, when paganism gave way to Christianity, and a warrior culture slowly transformed into an agricultural one.
These discoveries not only reveal the wealth, artistry and ritual depth of Viking culture, but also the profound transformation of a society in flux, one that honoured its ancestors, embraced new beliefs and left enduring marks upon the Swedish landscape.