Gamla Uppsala

Old Uppsala ( Gamla Uppsala ) is a historic settlement with major barrows and now part of the Swedish Tätort Uppsala, located in Norra Staden district.

Old Uppsala was in prehistoric times a power center in Central Sweden. The place in the early Iron Age was north of a bay, and allowed travel to the sea and the adjoining lakes. The functions of the settlement can be compared with the later Stockholm. She was religious and administrative center with connection to the Baltic Sea. The declining importance of the place in the 1100s is related to the change in the waterways along by the progressive uplift.

Archeology

In two of the hill in 1824 and 1847 excavations took place, in which not only cremated dead personal items as well as animal and human sacrifices were found. The cremation must have been very severe, since only fragments were present from all parts found. Directly east of the Barrow is the Ting hill. This is flatter and home to probably no grave because it was the meeting place for the jurisdiction. Gustaf Wasa should have used the hill later for some of his speeches to the people. Overall, the grave field should contain 2,000 to 3,000 graves. Several early sources claim that there should have been in this area a place of sacrifice and a sacred well, but whose existence could not be proven scientifically.

2013, the remains of two rows of eight to ten meter high wooden posts were found during the construction of a railway line, which were next to each other vertically about 1500 years ago. One series consists of nearly one kilometer in length from 144 piles. A possible ritual function - for the animal bones found there and thus speak possible sacrificial sites - standing next to the presumption that this is a territorial marker - about the access path to Old Uppsala - is.

Faith and religion

Old Uppsala was a religious center before the Christianization. The decisive change took place when Old Uppsala in 1164 became the archbishop 's seat. The church was built on the site, probably the pagan temple of Uppsala was before, which was described in 1070 by Adam of Bremen. He wrote that the temple was adorned with idols, a claim which appears as doubtful after today's perspective on the practice of religion in the Iron Age.

Around 1240 the church burned down the victim and about 1273 the seat of the Archbishop was transferred to the new Uppsala. There had previously begun the construction of the cathedral. The new church in Old Uppsala is quite a bit smaller than the original ( see picture). Its present appearance dates from the 15th century.

Myth and History

With regard to the descriptions on the role Alt- old Uppsala in Sweden's agreement must be mentioned that these are limited credibility. For the period before the 9th century there are only myths, legend and poetry. The so-called Ynglingatal reported that the gender of the Ynglings to have reigned until the 7th century, from Old Uppsala. The Heimskringla, Snorri Sturluson Icelandic saga of one, reported that the king Aun, Egil Adils and were buried in Old Uppsala in the 5th and 6th centuries. This fits in with the archaeological dating. More seals, which report on Old Uppsala, the English are Beowulf, the Danish chronicle Gesta Danorum and the Icelandic saga Hrolfs kraka.

In 2000, near the grave field, the Gamla Uppsala Museum opened. Here myths and the history of the square are presented.

Personalities

In the church of the Swedish scholar Anders Celsius (1701-1744) is buried.