TheKingsGraveinSwedenisoneofthebiggest

stonegravesfromtheBronzeAge
InstantArticles News Strangeness Dec28,2016

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LocatedinthesoutheasternportionoftheSwedishprovinceofSkne,The
KingsGrave(Kungagraven)nearKivikiswhatremainsofanunusually
grandNordicBronzeAgedoubleburialwhichroughly3000yearsold.Aside
fromtheageofthestructure,thesizeofthetombisalsofascinating.

Withadiameterof75meters,itisthelargestknownburialmoundin
Sweden.
 Theentrancetothetomb.PhotoCredit

Datedtoroughly1600BC.PhotoCredit
Thesitewasusedasaquarryforconstructionmaterialsuntil1748when
twofarmersquarryingintheoldmounduncovereda3.25meters(11ft)
stonetomb,constructedwithtenslabsofstonemeasuring0.65meters(2.1
ft.)wideand1.2meters(3.9ft.).

Thesitemeasures75metersindiameteranditisthelargest
moundofitstypeinSweden.PhotoCredit

 ThestonesofthegravefacingthegraveofKivik.PhotoCredit

Thefarmersstartedtodigintoitthinkingthattheymayfindtreasure
underground.Rumorsaidthatthetwofarmershaveactuallystolenthe
treasure.Theywereevenarrestedbytheauthoritiesandinterrogatedforit.
However,thetwomendeniedhavingfoundanything,andasnoevidence
couldbeprovidedagainstthem,theywerereleased.
 StoneswithinthecairnofKivik.PhotoCredit

Rockcarving.PhotoCredit

ThescenesarethoughttorepresentBronzeAgemortuaryrituals,
religioussymbols,andgravegoods.PhotoCredit

Themoundcontainedtwocistswhichareadornedwithpetroglyphswhich
showpeopleandships,weapons,lursbeingplayed,symbols,animals
(includingbirdsandfish),andachariotdrawnbytwohorsesandhaving
fourspokedwheels.
Inthe1930s,archaeologicalinvestigationsofthetombwerecarriedout,led
byGustafHallstrom.Itturnedoutthatthelargemoundcontainedanother
burialchambernowcalledPrinskammarenThePrincesChamber,dueto
itssmallersize.
 Oneofthetenslabsofstoneshowsahorsedrawnchariotwithtwo
fourspokedwheels.PhotoCredit

Whetherthetombhadbeenrobbedofvaluablesis
uncertain.PhotoCredit


Aftertheexcavation,thetombwasrestored,butnooneknows
whetheritlookssimilartoitsoriginalstate.PhotoCredit

Themoundwasreconstructedandopenedapassagetoallowvisitorsto
tourtheoncehiddenburialchamber.

Readanotherstoryfromus:MotherLudlamsCaveTheplacewherethe
Devilstoleacauldronfromthewhitewitch
Inspiteofthefactsthatthesitehasbeenusedasaquarry,withitsstones
carriedoffforotheruses,andthatitwasrestoredcarelesslyonceitwas
knowntobeanancientburial,thesetwoburialsareunique.