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Explore the Pre-Roman and the Roman Iron Age.
Explore the Migration Period, Vendel Age and Viking Age.
One day in 1818, a labourer named Lundström was digging gravel from a stone mound when he suddenly came across something unexpected: a bronze vase from the Roman Empire. Inside it were burnt bones and melted lumps of glass.
Gold objects from the Iron Age have come to light both through excavations and by sheer chance. In this way, archaeologists as well as ditch-diggers have contributed to the collections of the Swedish History Museum.
Objects from the Roman Empire made their way as far as Scandinavia during the Roman Iron Age. Among the finds are bronze and glass vessels, statuettes, and coins.
There are many archaeological traces of the cult and rituals of Old Norse religion. Archeologists have found remains of burial rites, sacrifices and cult houses where ceremonies to the god were held.
The Gold Room in the Swedish History Museum contain several large gold rings. They were designed to be head and neck rings, and at the same time to constitute a form of "savings account".
Most rune stones were carved in the Viking Age, but runes had been used in Scandinavia many hundreds of years earlier. About 2,500 runestones have been found in Sweden, of which roughly 1,300 are in the Uppland province.
The Gerum cloak is the oldest preserved item of clothing ever discovered within the present-day borders of Sweden. Damage to the cloak suggests that its owner was murdered approximately 2,300 years ago.
The Nordic Iron Age is the period between 500 BC and AD 1100. Järnålder kallas tiden mellan 500 före Kristus till 1100 efter Kristus. Farming, trade and new ideas from the Roman Empire influenced life in both southern and northern Sweden. The end of this period is known as the Viking Age.
In 1993, a man discovered twelve iron objects buried in the ground at Kråknäset, just outside Torsåker in Gästrikland. They revealed high-quality craftsmanship spanning 600 years.
In archaeology, there are several methods for both relative and absolute dating.
In the early 1900s, when someone was ploughing at Haglunda in Alböke parish on Öland, they came across a small bronze figurine. Is it a depiction of a real person or a deity? See the figurine in the Gold Room at the Swedish History Museum.
In 1816, one of the earliest well-documented archaeological investigations of a rich grave was carried out in Bohuslän. What was inside?
An archaeologist is a researcher who studies humanity’s past through material remains. This can include buildings, objects, graves, settlements, or other traces left by people. The purpose of archaeology is to understand past societies, their structure, ways of life, economy, beliefs, and technology.
The runes were the earliest form of writing in Scandinavia. They were created as early as the first century AD. By the time the Viking Age runestones were carved, the runes had already existed for nearly a thousand years.
In 1825, farmer’s daughter Margaretha Jönsdotter discovered this twisted gold rod. No further details about the circumstances of the find were recorded.
An osteologist is a specialist in skeletons, both human and animal. The word "osteology" comes from the Greek osteon, meaning bone, and logos, meaning study – so it literally means "the study of bones."
The Roman emperor surrounded himself with a splendour that is difficult to imagine today. The emperor and his court asserted their exceptional status through, among other things, distinctive clothing and jewellery.
“Be happy, Eunesios.” That’s the rough translation of the inscription on a golden ring from the Roman era. The ring is remarkable both for its design and decoration. It is nearly 2,000 years old.
Learn about the Viking Age, a historical period during the Iron Age.
Discover fascinating articles and objects in the museum's knowledge database, the History hub.
Captivating stories about people and objects from prehistoric times.
See unique gold and silver jewels and sparkling treasures.
Join us on a journey to the Viking Age. See 2,500 original artifacts, learn about trade, travel, and beliefs – and discover how the Vikings really lived.
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