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Viking burial mounds
An important historical area
On Amborneset 13 preserved burial mounds which are believed to have originated in the Viking Age. Before the introduction of Christianity in Norway but also elsewhere in Europe, people were either laid to rest after death in mounds of earth or stone piles, through cremation or traditional burial. Tools and other objects were also placed with the deceased, which symbolized their life and perhaps their transition to the afterlife.
The burial mounds can have different shapes, including round, oval, oblong (called long mounds) or even boat-shaped. A rare and fascinating shape are the star-shaped burial mounds, which stand out in their unique design among the burial monuments.We find a unique star-shaped grave, which forms a three-pointed star, in the lower part of the area towards the sea.
The symbolism of the triangle is often linked to shamanism and Norse mythology, where the shape of the graves is associated with the resemblance to the world tree Yggdrasil. This links these burial sites closely to the Norse religion, and suggests a deeper connection between the deceased and the cosmic order.
The graves vary in size and shape, from small elevations with a diameter of 1.5 meters to large mounds. An example of one of Norway’s largest burial mounds is Herlandshaugen on the island of Leka, which stretches 65 meters in diameter and 12 meters in height. There seems to be a correlation between the size of the grave and the status of the person who was buried there.
In the early 1800s, there were 80 burial mounds her
On Amborneset you can find several round burial mounds, a possible remnant of a long mound, and even a star-shaped burial mound. Clear foot ditches mark the shape of some of the burial mounds along the lower edge. Like many other burial mounds in Norway, those at Amborneset also have traces of looting pits
These graves testify that someone has entered the grave either in older or more recent times, perhaps in the hope of securing valuable objects. Unfortunately, some of the mounds have also been affected, either by being damaged at the edges or even completely disappeared, due to construction or agricultural activities in more modern times.
In the following description, it becomes clear that in the middle of the burial mound you will find a core of stone piles, where the grave itself is located.
Viking Sword
In 1928, fragments of a sword were delivered from one of the burial mounds to the Science Museum in Trondheim. The dating of the sword usually points to the period ca. 800-850 AD The proven sword shape is known in Trøndelag and in Eastern Norway.
The hilt includes part of the blade of a one-sided sword of J. Petersen’s type E. Both hilts are well preserved and adorned with a remarkably beautiful decoration consisting of narrow, double copper strips. These moldings vertically frame round recesses.
The archaeologist Dr. Jan Petersen was the first to systematically study swords from the Viking Age. In 1919, he published his doctoral thesis with the title “De norske vikingsverdene – A typological-chronological study of the weapons of the Viking Age.”
The sword was among the most important weapons in the Viking Age, along with axes and spears. Viking swords have been found all over Scandinavia, but Norway has the most specimens with around 3,500 finds. The increased number of finds in Norway can be attributed to the fact that the pagan burial customs of placing swords in graves were more widespread here than in Sweden and Denmark.
The three-part button appears to have been forged together with the overtail and is separated from this by an immediate beading.
Sea battle
The term “Borgerkrigstiden” or “civil wars” refers to a period in Norwegian history between 1130 and 1240. On 18 June 1199, the so-called Battle of Strindfjorden took place outside Amborneset, where King Sverre Sigurdsson and the Birkebeiner army faced Bishop Nikolaus Arnesson and his Bagler army**. On this day, it was reported to King Sverre, who at the time was staying at Sverresborg in Nidaros (present-day Trondheim), that the bagels had anchored at Hynne on Frostalandet on the other side of the fjord. When King Sverre and his army approached them with their ships, the Baglers withdrew on the north side of Tautra and out into the fjord.
Outside Amborneset, this led later in the day to a violent confrontation between the two armies. According to the sources, the battle was intense and prolonged. Five ships sank, and several ships were captured by King Sverres and the Birkebeiner army, but Bishop Nikolaus and several of the Baglers managed to escape. Who knows what is hiding on the seabed outside Amborneset?
**The term “baglerne” is often associated with the church and the men of the church. The church supported the Baglers because King Sverre and the Birkebeiners wanted to curtail the bishops’ rights. Sverre wanted a national church with the king as head, while the bishops wanted an independent church where they only stood in a subordinate relationship to the pope.
Archaeological Investigations
In 2009, archaeologists from the NTNU Science Museum in Trondheim carried out investigations in connection with the establishment of a rest area. Among the discoveries in the area were many cooking pits from the Iron Age. These cooking pits were used for cooking, and some of them had impressive dimensions of over 2 meters in diameter, suggesting that they were used during larger gatherings or festivities attended by many people.
Although not many postholes or structures indicating houses were found, it is likely that there was a settlement nearby. The discovery of three hearths, remains of a black earth layer, in addition to the surrounding burial mounds, suggests this. The findings from these excavations, combined with the existence of burial mounds and a legend about a stone fortress (Borgen) on Borg åsen, point to Hindrum as a historically significant area.
Viking laws
1 BE BRAVE AND AGGRESSIVE
BE DIRECT.
GRAB ALL OPPORTUNITIES.
USE VARYING METHODS OF ATTACK.
BE VERSATILE AND AGILE.
ATTACK ONE TARGET AT A TIME .
DO NOT PLAN EVERYTHING IN DETAIL.
USE TOP OUALITY WEAPONS.
2 BE PREPARED
KEEP WEAPONS IN GOOD CONDITION.
KEEP IN SHAPE.
FIND GOOD BATTLE COMRADES.
AGREE ON IMPORTANT POINTS.
CHOOSE ONE CHIEF.
3 BE A GOOD MERCHANT
FIND OUT WHAT THE MARKET NEEDS.
DO NOT PROMISE WHAT YOU CANNOT KEEP.
DO NOT DEMAND OVERPAYMENT.
ARRANGE THINGS SO THAT YOU CAN RETURN.
4 KEEP THE CAMP IN ORDER
KEEP THINGS TIDY AND ORGANIZED.
ARRANGE ENJOYABLE ACTIVITIES WHICH STRENGHTEN THE GROUP.
MAKE SURE EVERYBODY DOES USEFUL WORK.
CONSULT ALL MEMBERS OF THE GROUP FOR ADVICE.
