Location in Sweden

During the Viking Age, Birka or Birca listen (help· info), on the island of Björkö (also Bierkø, literally: "Birch Island") in Sweden, was an important trading center which handled goods from Scandinavia as well as Central and Eastern Europe and the Orient. Björkö is located in the Lake Mälaren, just west of Stockholm, in the municipality of Ekerö. The archaeological sites of Birka and Hovgården, on the neighbouring island of Adelsö, make up an archaeological complex which illustrates the elaborate trading networks of Viking Europe and their influence on the subsequent history of Scandinavia. "Generally regarded as Sweden's oldest town"^[1], Birka (along with Hovgården) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (328x714, 19 KB) Location map of Björkö / Birka in Sweden. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (328x714, 19 KB) Location map of Björkö / Birka in Sweden. ... The Viking Age is the name of the period between 793 and 1066 AD in Scandinavia and Britain, following the Germanic Iron Age (and the Vendel Age in Sweden). ... Image File history File links Sv-Birka. ... Scandinavia is a region in Northern Europe. ... Central Europe is the region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe. ... Regions of Europe as delineated by the United Nations (UN definition of Eastern Europe marked salmon):  Northern Europe  Western Europe  Eastern Europe  Southern Europe Pre-1989 division between the West (grey) and Eastern Bloc (orange) superimposed on current national boundaries: Russia (dark orange), other countries of the former USSR (medium... Location map Mälaren details, with Stockholm urban area pink in the east. ...   (IPA: ; UN/LOCODE: SE STO) is the capital of Sweden, and consequently the site of its Government and Parliament as well as the residence of the Swedish head of state, King Carl XVI Gustaf. ... Ekerö is an island in lake Mälaren, Sweden. ... HovgÃ¥rden is an archaeological site on the island of Adelsö in Lake Mälaren in Sweden. ... Adelsö is an island in the middle of the lake Mälaren in Sweden near southern and northern Björkfjärden. ... A fruit stand at a market. ... World map showing Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth. ... Scandinavia is a region in Northern Europe. ... UNESCO logo UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ...

History

Established in the middle of the 8th Century^[2] and thus being one of the earliest urban settlements in Scandinavia, Birka was the Baltic link in the river and portage route through Ladoga (Aldeigja) and Novgorod (Holmsgard) to the Byzantine Empire and the Abbasid Califate.^[3] Birka was also important as the site of the first known Christian congregation in Sweden, founded in 831 by Saint Ansgar. (7th century — 8th century — 9th century — other centuries) Events The Iberian peninsula is taken by Arab and Berber Muslims, thus ending the Visigothic rule, and starting almost 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. ... ... Ladoga may refer to one of the following. ... Velikiy Novgorod (Russian: ) is the foremost historic city of North-Western Russia, situated on the M10(E95) federal highway connecting Moscow and St. ... Byzantine Empire at its greatest extent c. ... Abbasid provinces during the caliphate of Harun al-Rashid Abbasid (Arabic: العبّاسيّون, AbbāsÄ«yÅ«n) is the dynastic name generally given to the caliph of Baghdad, the second of the two great Sunni dynasties of the Arab Empire, that overthrew the Umayyad caliphs from all but Spain. ... Anglicized/Latinized version of the Arabic word خليفة or Khalifah, is the term or title for the Islamic leader of the Ummah, or community of Islam. ... This article is becoming very long. ... A congregation is the group of members who make up a local Christian church or Jewish synagogue (or those who are present at a service thereat), as opposed to the building itself. ... Events Malamir succeeds Omurtag as Khan of Bulgaria The Saracens capture Palermo. ... Ansgar, etching by Hugo Hamilton (1830) Ansgar, Anskar or Oscar, (September 8?, 801–February 3, 865) was an Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen. ...

Sources are mainly archeological remains. No texts survive from this area, though the written text Vita Ansgari ("The life of Ansgar") by Rimbert (c. 865 CE) describes the missionary work of Ansgar around 830 CE at Birca, and Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificum (Deeds of Bishops of the Hamburg Church) by Adam of Bremen in 1075 CE describes the archbishop Unni, who died at Birca in 936 CE. St Ansgars work was the first attempt to convert the inhabitants from heathen living to Christianity, and it was unsuccessful. Vita Ansgari, the biography of Ansgar, written by Rimbert, his successor as archbishop in Hamburg-Bremen. ... Rimbert (or Rembert), archbishop in Hamburg-Bremen between 865 - 888 AD. Revered as a saint particularly in Friesland. ... Ansgar, etching by Hugo Hamilton (1830) Ansgar, Anskar or Oscar, (September 8?, 801–February 3, 865) was an Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen. ... Adam of Bremen (also: Adam Bremensis) was one of the most important German medieval chroniclers. ... In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated bishop. ... Ansgar, etching by Hugo Hamilton (1830) Ansgar, Anskar or Oscar, (September 8?, 801–February 3, 865) was an Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen. ... Norse or Scandinavian mythology comprises the pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian people, including those who settled on Iceland, where the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ...

Both Rimbert and Adam were German clergymen writing in Latin. There are no known Norse sources mentioning the name of the settlement, or even the settlement itself, and the original Norse name of Birka is unknown. Birca is the latinicised form given in the sources and Birka its contemporary, unhistorical Swedish form. The latin name is probably derived from an Old Norse word "birk" which probably meant a market place. Related to this was the Bjärköa law (bjärköarätt) which regulated the life on market places in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Both terms in different forms are very common in Scandinavian place names still today leading to speculation that all references to Birca especially by Adam of Bremen were not about the same location. Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... Old Norse is the Germanic language spoken by the inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300. ... In linguistics, romanization (or Latinization, also spelled romanisation or Latinisation) is the representation of a word or language with the Roman (Latin) alphabet, or a system for doing so, where the original word or language uses a different writing system. ... Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ... Birk was an Old Norse word that supposedly meant a market place. ... The Bjarkey laws (Old Swedish: biærköa rætter, Old Icelandic: bjarkeyjar-rettr, Norwegian: bjarkøretten, Danish: bjærkeret, birkeret) were medieval Scandinavian merchant town laws. ...

Both publications are silent on Birca's size, layout and appearance. Based on Rimbert's account, Birca was significant because it had a port and it was the place for the regional ting. Adam only mentions the port, but otherwise Birca seems to have been significant to him because it had been the bridgehead of Ansgar's Christian mission and because archbishop Unni had been buried there. A thing or ting (Old Norse and Icelandic: þing; other modern Scandinavian: ting) was the governing assembly in Germanic societies, made up of the free men of the community and presided by lawspeakers. ...

Vita Ansgari and Gesta are not always unambiguous, which has caused some controversy whether Birca and the Björkö settlement were the same location. Many other locations have been suggested through the years.^[4] However, Björkö is the only location that can show remains of a town of Birca's significance, which is why the vast majority of scholars still regard Björkö as the location of Birca.^[5]

Birka was abandoned during the later half of the 10th century. Based on the coin finds, the city seems to have silenced around 960.^[6] Roughly around the same time, a near-by Sigtuna supplanted Birka as the main trading centre in the Mälaren area^{[citation needed]}. The reasons for Birka's decline are disputed. A contributing factor may have been the post-glacial rebound, which lowered the water level of Mälaren changing it from an arm of the sea into a lake and cut Birka off from the nearest (southern) access to the Baltic Sea. According to the 2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica, the Baltic island of Gotland was also in a better strategic position for Russian-Byzantine trade.^[7] It should be noted that the Varangian trade stations in Russia suffered a serious decline about the same date. Sigtuna is a city in central Sweden in the metropolitan area of Stockholm. ... Location map Mälaren details, with Stockholm urban area pink in the east. ... Changes in the elevation of Lake Superior due to glaciation and post-glacial rebound Post-glacial rebound (sometimes called continental rebound, isostatic rebound or isostatic adjustment) is the rise of land masses that were depressed by the huge weight of ice sheets during the last ice age, through a process... The Baltic Sea is located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... ...   is a county and province of Sweden and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. ... ... The Varangians (Russian: Variags, Варяги) were Scandinavians who travelled eastwards, mainly from Jutland and Sweden. ...

Map of Björkö, late 17th century, from Suecia antiqua et hodierna. Engraving by Willem Swidde.

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2436x1626, 777 KB) w:Björkö, an island in lake w:Mälaren in Sweden Engraving made 1690-1710 Scanned by me from Erik Dahlberg, Svecia Antiqua et Hodierna, facsimile, 1983 File links The following pages link to this file: Birka... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2436x1626, 777 KB) w:Björkö, an island in lake w:Mälaren in Sweden Engraving made 1690-1710 Scanned by me from Erik Dahlberg, Svecia Antiqua et Hodierna, facsimile, 1983 File links The following pages link to this file: Birka... The title page Suecia Antiqua et Hodierna, or Ancient and Modern Sweden, is the title of a large work of engravings, collected by Erik Dahlberg in the middle of the 17th century. ...

Rimbert's Birca

In Vita Ansgari ("The life of Ansgar")^[8] monk and later archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen Rimbert gives the first known description of Birca. The town was the center of Catholic missionary activities in the 9th century Sweden. Rimbert's interests were in the Christian faith, not so much in the Swedish geopolicy, so his descriptions of Birca remain approximate at best. Vita Ansgari, the biography of Ansgar, written by Rimbert, his successor as archbishop in Hamburg-Bremen. ... The Archbishopric of Bremen was an ecclesiastical state in the Holy Roman Empire. ... Rimbert (or Rembert), archbishop in Hamburg-Bremen between 865 - 888 AD. Revered as a saint particularly in Friesland. ...

Bridgehead of Christian missionaries

This is how it all started in 829:

"Meanwhile it happened that Swedish ambassadors had come to the Emperor Louis the Pious, and, amongst other matters which they had been ordered to bring to the attention of the emperor, they informed him that there were many belonging to their nation who desired to embrace the Christian religion, and that their king so far favoured this suggestion that lie would permit God's priests to reside there, provided that they might be deemed worthy of such a favour and that the emperor would send them suitable preachers." (Chapter IX)

"Ansgar then undertook the mission committed to him by the emperor, who desired that he should go to the Swedes and discover whether this people was prepared to accept the faith as their messengers had declared." (Chapter X)

Ansgar was already experienced in the missionary work in Denmark, and set forth to Sweden. Rimbert describes the trip very generally: Louis the Pious, contemporary depiction from 826 as a miles Christi (soldier of Christ), with a poem of Rabanus Maurus overlaid. ... Ansgar, etching by Hugo Hamilton (1830) Ansgar, Anskar or Oscar, (September 8?, 801–February 3, 865) was an Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen. ...

"It may suffice for me to say that while they were in the midst of their journey they fell into the hands of pirates. The merchants with whom they were travelling, defended themselves vigorously and for a time successfully, but eventually they were conquered and overcome by the pirates, who took from them their ships and all that they possessed, whilst they themselves barely escaped on. foot to land. -- With great difficulty they accomplished their long journey on foot, traversing also the intervening seas (maria), where it was possible, by ship, and eventually arrived at the Swedish port called Birca." (Chapters X and XI)

Rimbert does not say where Ansgar sailed off or where he landed. Noteworthy is just his note about several "seas" that they had to cross to get to Birca from the place they had landed to. Since Rimbert mentions them to have crossed the seas by ship "where it was possible" they clearly had the alternative of going around them as well meaning that the seas were probably the numerous lakes in the southern Sweden. When Ansgar again travelled to Birca from Germany about 852, it went easier:

"Ansgar accomplished the journey on which he had set out, and after spending nearly twenty days in a ship, he arrived at Birca --" (Chapter XXVI)

This might mean that he sailed off from Hamburg or Bremen instead of some port in Baltic Sea, since the later account by Adam of Bremen gives the distance of Skåne and Birca to be only 5 days at sea. Hamburgs motto: May the posterity endeavour with dignity to conserve the freedom, which the forefathers acquired. ... The river Weser flows through Bremen to the estuary at Bremerhaven. ... The Flag of SkÃ¥ne (also known as Scania in English) is the southernmost historical province (landskap) and County (Län) of Sweden. ...

King in Birca

Several Swedish kings of the 9th century, Björn, Anund and Olof, are all mentioned to have spent time in Birca. None of them is however said to have had his residence there, as the Swedish king and his retinue routinely moved between the Husbys, parts of the network of royal estates called Uppsala öd. King Björns barrow in HÃ¥ga (Old Norse name: Haug)near Uppsala. ... Anund Uppsale or Anoundus ruled Sweden together with his brother Björn at Hauge, according to Rimbert and Hervarar saga (he and Björn are also mentioned by Adam of Bremen). ... Olof was the king of Sweden when Ansgar made his second voyage to Birka in the year 854. ... Husby is the name of many swedish (and danish) farms and villages. ... Uppsala öd, Old Norse: Uppsala auðr or Uppsala øðr (Uppsala domains or wealth of Uppsala) referred to the network of royal estates that were the property of the Swedish crown. ...

King Björn met Ansgar in Birca when he arrived there in 829 (Chapter XI). Later king Olof met him there as well during his last trip in 852 (Chapter XXVI).

Church in Birca

Ansgar's missionary work resulted in first churches to be built in Sweden. Talking about Herigar, the prefect of Birca:

"A little later he built a church on his own ancestral property and served God with the utmost devotion." (Chapter XI)

Herigar's church was not far from the place where tings were held:

"On one occasion lie himself was sitting in an assembly of people, a stage having been arranged for a council on an open plain. -- He then summoned his servants and told them to carry him to his church." (Chapter XIX)

Another church was also built in Sweden, however location is left open:

"This Gautbert, who at his consecration received the honoured name of the apostle Simeon, went to Sweden, and was honourably received by the king and the people ; and he began, amidst general goodwill and approval, to build a church there --" (Chapter XIV)

The exiled Swedish King Anund Uppsale confirms that either one of the churches was in Birca itself when he ponders if Birca should be plundered: Anund Uppsale or Anoundus ruled Sweden together with his brother Björn at Hauge, according to Rimbert and Hervarar saga (he and Björn are also mentioned by Adam of Bremen). ...

""There are there," he said, " many great and powerful gods, and in former time a church was built there, and there are many Christians there who worship Christ --"" (Chapter XIX)

Fortress in Birca?

Danes attacked Birca, accompanied with the deposed king Anund, which caused great distress in the town. Anund Uppsale or Anoundus ruled Sweden together with his brother Björn at Hauge, according to Rimbert and Hervarar saga (he and Björn are also mentioned by Adam of Bremen). ...

"Being in great difficulty they fled to a neighbouring city (ad civitatem, quæ iuxta erat, confugerunt) and began to promise and offer to their gods -- But inasmuch as the city was not strong and there were few to offer resistance, they sent messengers to the Danes and asked for friendship and alliance. -- Herigar, the faithful servant of the Lord, was angry with them and said, -- "They will lead away your wives and sons as captives, they will burn our city (urbs) and town (vicus)^[9] and will destroy you with the sword --"" (Chapter XIX)

As the neighbouring "city" is not mentioned in any other context than during the Danish attack as a place where people took refuge, it probably meant a near-by fortress. Eventually Danes left, sparing Birca from destruction.

Ting in Birca

When Ansgar asked if the king Olof^[10] would permit him to establish the Christian religion in the kingdom during his second visit in 852, the king said to him: Olof was the king of Sweden when Ansgar made his second voyage to Birka in the year 854. ...

"On this account I have not the power, nor do I dare, to approve the objects of your mission until I can consult our gods by the casting of lots and until I can enquire the will of the people in regard to this matter. Let your messenger attend with me the next assembly --" (Chapter XXVI)

"When the day for the assembly which was held in the town of Birca drew near, in accordance with their national custom the king caused a proclamation to be made to the people by the voice of a herald, in order that they might be informed concerning the object of their mission. -- The king then rose up from amongst the assembly and forthwith directed one of his own messengers to accompany the bishop's messenger, and to tell him that the people were unanimously inclined to accept his proposal and at the same time to tell him that, whilst their action was entirely agreeable to him, he could not give his full consent until, in another assembly, which was to be held in another part of his kingdom, he could announce this resolution to the people who lived in that district." (Chapter XXVII)

Tings were huge open air events, which required plenty of space. The more important ting that king Olof talked about was probably the Ting of all Swedes, which was held at the end of February in Uppsala, during the Disting. The king was obliged to obey the common decisions made at this ting, and the most powerful man at this assembly was not the king, but the lawspeaker of Tiundaland. Locally important tings were the Westrogothic Ting of all Geats in Skara and the Ostrogothic Lionga ting in the vicinity of today's Linköping. A thing or ting (Old Norse and Icelandic: þing; other modern Scandinavian: ting) was the governing assembly in Germanic societies, made up of the free men of the community and presided by lawspeakers. ... The Thing of all Swedes (or Disaþing[1]) was the thing (general assembly) which was held from pre-historic times to the Middle Ages, at the end of February or early March at Gamla Uppsala, Sweden[2]. It was held in conjuction with a great fair and a pagan... Uppsala (older spelling Upsala) is a Swedish City in central Sweden, located about 70 km north of Stockholm. ... The Disting is an annual market which is held in Uppsala, Sweden, since pre-historic times. ... A Lawspeaker (Old Swedish: laghmaþer or laghman, Norwegian: lagmand, Icelandic: lög(sögu)maðr) was a unique Scandinavian legal office. ... Tiundaland is a historic region, Folkland, and since 1296 part of the modern province of Uppland. ... The Thing of all Geats was the thing (general assembly) which was held from pre-historic times to the Middle Ages in Skara, Västergötland[1]. Although its name suggests that it comprised all Geats, it concerned those living in Västergötland and Dalsland, and it is described... Lionga thing was the general assembly of the people of Östergötland in the medieval Sweden. ... Linköping in Sweden Aerial photo of Linköping. ...

Adam of Bremen's Birca

In Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificum (Deeds of Bishops of the Hamburg Church),^[11] Adam of Bremen mentions Birca many times, and the book is the main source of information on the city. After its initial release in 1075/6, Gesta was complemented with supplementary Scholias until the death of Adam in the 1080s. Birca is described as an existing city in the original version, but then as destroyed in Scholia 138.

One of Adam's main sources had been the German bishop Adalvard the Younger of Sigtuna and later of Skara as hinted in Scholia 119. He was also very familiar with Rimbert's work. Adam himself never visited Birca. Adalvard is the name of two clergymen who were active in Sweden during its christianization in the 11th century. ... Sigtuna is a city in central Sweden in the metropolitan area of Stockholm. ... Skara is a Municipality in Västra Götaland County, in western Sweden. ...

Birca's location and port

Adam described Birca as a Geatish port town and had gathered many details about it. Sweden in the 12th century before the incorporation of Finland during the 13th century. ...

"Birca is the main Geatish town (oppidum Gothorum), situated in the middle of Sweden (Suevoniae), not far (non longe) from the temple called Uppsala (Ubsola) which the Swedes (Sueones) held in the highest esteem when it comes to the worship of the gods; here forms an inlet of the Baltic or the Barbaric Sea a port facing north which welcomes all the wild peoples all around this sea but which is risky for those who are careless or ignorant of such places ... they have therefore blocked this inlet of the troubled sea with hidden masses of rocks along more than 100 stadions (18 km). On this anchorage, being the best sheltered within the maritime region of Sweden (Suevoniae), all the ships belonging to Danes (Danorum) known as Norwegians (Nortmannorum) as well as to Slavs (Sclavorum), Sembrians (Semborum) and other Scythian (Scithiae) peoples use to convene every year for sundry necessary commerce." (I 62)

"Turning from the northern parts to the mouth of the Baltic Sea we first meet the Norwegians (Nortmanni), then the Danish region of Skåne (Sconia) stands out, and beyond these live the Geats (Gothi) for a long stretch all the way to Birca." (IV 14)

Having described Västergötland and Skara, Adam writes: An oppidum (pl: oppida) was Latin for the main settlement in any administrative area of the Roman Empire. ... The Temple at Uppsala was a temple in Gamla Uppsala (Old Uppsala), near modern Uppsala, Sweden, that was created to worship the Norse gods of ancient times. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... The Slavic peoples are the most numerous ethnic and linguistic body of peoples in Europe. ... Sambia (German: ; Latin and Polish:  ; Russian:  ; Lithuanian: ) is a peninsula in the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia, on the south-eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. ... Scythia was an area in Eurasia inhabited in ancient times by an Indo-Aryans known as the Scythians. ... The Flag of SkÃ¥ne (also known as Scania in English) is the southernmost historical province (landskap) and County (Län) of Sweden. ... Västergötland ( ♫) is one of the historical provinces of Sweden (landskap), situated in the southwest of Sweden. ... Skara is a Municipality in Västra Götaland County, in western Sweden. ...

"Beyond it Östergötland (Ostrogothia) extends along the sea, that is called the Baltic Sea, all the way to Birca." (IV 23)

Noteworthy in the following statement is the usage of the term "not far" (non longe) which was also used to describe the distance between Birca and the Uppsala temple: (help· info) is a historical Province (landskap) in the south of Sweden. ...

"Furthermore we have been told that there are many more islands in that sea, one of which is called the Great Estland (Aestland) -- And this island is told to be quite close to the Woman Land (terrae feminarum), which^[12] is not far (non longe) away from Birca of the Swedes." (IV 17)

Adam also had travel instructions from Skåne to Sigtuna: National motto: None Official language Estonian Capital Tallinn President Arnold Rüütel Prime Minister Andrus Ansip Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 129th 45,226 km² 4. ... Terra feminarum (Woman Land) is a name for a land in Fennoscandia that appears in Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificum (Deeds of Bishops of the Hamburg Church) by Adam of Bremen 1075 CE. It was probably a mistranslation of Kvenland and located in southern Finland. ... Sigtuna is a city in central Sweden in the metropolitan area of Stockholm. ...

"From Skåne (Sconia) of the Danes one reaches Sigtuna (Sictonam) or Birca after five days at sea, for they are indeed alike^[13]. But by land from Skåne accross the Geatish people (Gothorum populos) and cities Skara (Scaranem), Telgas and Birca, one reaches Sigtuna only after a full month." (IV 28)

"Telgas" is not mentioned anywhere else, and it remains as speculative as Birca. The most popular identification among many telge names in Sweden is Södertälje.^[14] Scholia 121 of IV 20 tells also: Södertälje [søːdə˘ʈɛljÉ™] is a Municipality in Stockholm County, in central Sweden. ...

"For those who sail from Skåne (Sconia) of the Danes to Birca, the journey takes five days, from Birca to Russia (Ruzziam) likewise five days at sea." (Scholia 121)

The following definition remains even more mysterious:

"In pity of their errors, our archbishop ordained as their diocesan capital Birca, which is in the middle of Sweden (Sueoniae) facing Jumne (Iumnem), the capital of the Slavs, and equally distant from all the coasts of the surrounding sea." (IV 20)

Since it is physically impossible for any Swedish town to face Jumne, the latter being situated along River Oder, Adam's statement is probably a misunderstanding. No place having a similar name to Birca is known to have situated on the opposite shore of Oder, so it may be possible that something similar to Jumne was located opposite to Birca. Landsat satellite photo of Oder Lagoon - Wolin is the eastern of the two large islands separating the waters of the Lagoon from the Baltic Sea, the western island is Usedom Map of the Usedom-Wolin area Wolin (German: ) is the name shared by an island located in the Baltic Sea... The Oder (or Odra) River (German: Oder, Polish/Czech: Odra, Ancient Latin: Viadua, Viadrus, Medieval Latin: Odera, Oddera) is a river in Central Europe (mostly in Poland). ...

Bishop in Birca

Archbishopric of Hamburg-Bremen that oversaw the missionary work in Scandinavia until 1103, had appointed bishops to Sweden at least from 1014 onwards, the first see being in Skara. Several bishops were appointed for Sweden in 1060s, one also for Birca. The Archbishopric of Bremen was an ecclesiastical state in the Holy Roman Empire. ... Skara is a Municipality in Västra Götaland County, in western Sweden. ...

"For Sweden, six were consecrated: Adalvard the Elder (Adalwardum) and Acilinum, also Adalvard the Younger (Adalwardum) and Tadicum, and furthermore Simeon (Symeonem) and the monk John (Iohannem)." (III 70)

Scholia 94 appends this as follows: Adalvard is the name of two clergymen who were active in Sweden during its christianization in the 11th century. ... Adalvard is the name of two clergymen who were active in Sweden during its christianization in the 11th century. ...

"Adalvard the Elder (Adalwardus senior) was to superintend both lands of the Geats (uterque praefectus est Gothiae), Adalvard the Younger Sigtuna (Sictunam) and Uppsala (Ubsalam), Simeon (Symon) the Sami people (Scritefingos), John (Iohannes) the islands of the Baltic Sea." (Scholia 94)

Furthermore, the following was said about John's location after talking about Birca: The Sami people (also Sámi, Saami, Lapps and Laplanders) are the indigenous people of Sápmi, which encompasses parts of northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. ...

"For this city he ordained, as the first among our people, the abbot Hiltin, whom he wanted to call John." (IV 20)

John seems to have been situated in Birca in order to prepare for the missionary work among the many heathen people that flooded to Birca from around the Baltic coasts. This was a logical continuation to Birca's position as the first missionary town in Sweden. Noteworthy here is that the biggest islands in the Baltic Sea, Öland and Gotland, were part of the diocese of Linköping in the Middle Ages, covering also Östergötland and eastern Småland. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...   is a county and province of Sweden and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. ... The diocese of Linköping is a Swedish diocese. ... is a historical province (landskap) in southern Sweden. ...

Location of Unni's tomb

Scholia 122 of IV 20 locates the tomb of Hamburg's Archbishop Unni in Birca: The Archbishopric of Bremen was an ecclesiastical state in the Holy Roman Empire. ...

"There is the port of Saint Ansgar and the tomb of the holy Archbishop Unni, and a familiar haven, it is said, for the holy confessors of our diocese." (Scholia 122)

According to Gesta, Unni had died in 936 (I 64).^[15] Ansgar, etching by Hugo Hamilton (1830) Ansgar, Anskar or Oscar, (September 8?, 801–February 3, 865) was an Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen. ...

Birca's destruction

After having consistently described Birca as an existing city, Scholia 138 of IV 29 describes Birca's sudden demise. Talking about Adalvard the Younger, the bishop of Sigtuna and later that of Skara, Adam or a later copyist has written: Adalvard is the name of two clergymen who were active in Sweden during its christianization in the 11th century. ...

"During his journey he seized the opportunity to make a detour to Birca, which is now reduced to loneliness so that one can hardly find vestiges of the city; therefore impossible to come upon the tomb of the holy Archbishop Unni." (Scholia 138)

The remark does not make it clear if Adalvard found the city destroyed or if that had happened after his visit and the later remark was just to warn the future pilgrims not to go there anymore in vain. As Adalvard was back in Bremen already by 1069 and is mentioned as one of Adam's sources of information, it would have been expected that word about Birka's destruction had reached also Adam before he published his work half a decade later.

Note: It is well known, that Finns from eastern Finland burned down the Siktuna as a revenge from continuous raids to villages. Tale says that the pillaged goods were sold to Russians just as an example...

Björkö archaeological site

Townsite of Birka

The exact location of Birca was also lost during the centuries, leading to speculation from Swedish historians. However, the island of Björkö was first claimed to have been Birka already about 1450 in the so-called "Chronicle of Sweden" (Prosaiska krönikan): Image File history File links Download high resolution version (896x588, 1268 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Birka ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (896x588, 1268 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Birka ... The Swedish Chronicle (Vetus chronicon sveciæ prosaicum or Prosaiska krönikan) is a mid-15th century chronicle on a nation called Getae (gethe), Goths (gotha), Geats (götha) and eventually Swedes (swenske). ...

"And there were three capitals in Sweden two of which were not long away from Uppsala (vpsala). The one was called Sigtuna (siktuna) and the other Birka (birka). Birka was on an island in Lake Mälaren (mälar) that is called Björkö (birköö). The third was in Westgötaland (westergötlandh) and was called Skara (skara)."^[16]

In search of Birka, National Antiquarian Johan Hadorph was the first to attempt excavations on Björkö in the late 17th century.

In the late 19th century, Hjalmar Stolpe, an entomologist by education, arrived on Björkö to study fossilized insects found in amber on the island. Stolpe found very large amounts of amber on the island, which is unusual since amber is not normally found in lake Mälaren. Stolpe speculated that the island may have been an important trading post, prompting him to conduct a series of archeological excavations between 1871-95. The excavations soon indicated that a major settlement had been located on the island and eventually Stolpe spent two decades excavating the island. After Björkö came to be identified with ancient Birka, it has been assumed that the original name of Birka was simply Bierkø (sometimes spelt Bjärkö), an earlier form of Björkö. Etymology, the study of the origin of words, is sometimes misspelled as Entomology or Entymology. Etymology redirects here. ... Amber pendants. ...

Ownership of Björkö is today mainly in private hands, and used for farming. The settlement site, however is an archaeological site, and a museum has been built nearby for exhibition of finds, models and reconstructions. It is a popular site to visit during the summer times. Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... The Louvre Museum in Paris, one of the largest and most famous museums in the world. ...

The archaeological remains are located in the north part of Björkö and span an area of about 7 hectares (17 acres). The remains are both burial-sites and buildings, and in the south part of this area, there is also a hill fort called "Borgen" ("The Fortress"). The construction technique of the buildings is still unknown, but the main material was wood. An adjacent island holds the remains of Hovgården, an estate which housed the King's retinue during visits. A hectare (symbol ha) is a unit of area, equal to 10,000 square metres, commonly used for measuring land area. ... An acre is an English unit of area, which is also frequently used in the United States and some Commonwealth countries. ... A hill fort is a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for military advantage. ... Trunks A tree trunk as found at the Veluwe, The Netherlands Wood is derived from woody plants, notably trees but also shrubs. ... HovgÃ¥rden is an archaeological site on the island of Adelsö in Lake Mälaren in Sweden. ...

Approximately 700 people lived at Birka when it was as largest, and about 3,000 graves have been found. Its administrative center was supposedly located outside of the settlement itself, on the nearby island of Adelsö. According to Rimbert, the settlement itself was fortified by a wooden palisade and its harbour was guarded by pilings driven into the bottom of the lake, limiting the number of ships able to pass into it.^{[citation needed]} However, remains of these have not been found on the Björkö site. Adelsö is an island in the middle of the lake Mälaren in Sweden near southern and northern Björkfjärden. ... Palisade and Moat A palisade is a Medieval wooden fence or wall of variable height, used as a defensive structure. ... A harbor (or harbour) or haven is a place where ships may shelter from the weather or are stored. ...

The most recent large excavation was undertaken between 1990-95 in a region of "black earth", believed to be the site of the main settlement. Björkö is today mainly agricultural, and shipping lines carry tourists to the island, where a museum showcases a view of life during the Viking era.

References

2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... ... County Oslo NO-03 District Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ... The International Standard Book Number, or ISBN (sometimes pronounced is-ben), is a unique identifier for books, intended to be used commercially. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... ... Linköping in Sweden Aerial photo of Linköping. ... Köpingsvik is a village on the Swedish island province of Oelandia. ... Saltvik is a municipality of Ã…land, an autonomous territory of Finland. ... Motto: none Anthem: Ã…länningens sÃ¥ng Capital (and largest city) Mariehamn Swedish Government Autonomous province  - Governor Peter Lindbäck1  - Premier Roger Nordlund Autonomy    - Declared 1920   - Recognized 19212  Accession to EU January 1, 19953 Area  - Total 13,517 km² (n/a) 5,267 sq mi   - Water (%) 89 Population  - 2005 estimate... Uppsala (older spelling Upsala) is a Swedish City in central Sweden, located about 70 km north of Stockholm. ... coat of arms of Courland Courland (Latvian: Kurzeme, German: Kurland, Polish: Kurlandia, Latin: Curonia / Couronia) is a historical Baltic province now part of Latvia. ...

External links

• Birka and Hovgården at the Swedish National Heritage Board
• Birka at the Swedish National Heritage Board
• Birka and Hovgården - at UNESCO
• Reconstructions of Bone Flutes like the ones from Birka

• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 59.33621° 17.545466°
  • Mapping from Multimap or GlobalGuide or Google Maps
  • Aerial image from TerraServer
  • Satellite image from WikiMapia

Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Trade emporia of the Viking Age
Dorestad • Kaupang • Lindholm • Hedeby • Ribe • Birka • Sigtuna • Köpingsvik Reric • Arkona • Menzlin • Ralswiek • Wolin • Truso • Kaup • Grobin Vanaja • Aldeigja • Alaborg • Hólmgard • Gnezdovo • Sarskoe • Timerevo

World Heritage Sites in Sweden

Agricultural Landscape of Southern Öland | Birka and Hovgården | Church Village of Gammelstad, Luleå | Engelsberg Ironworks | High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago (w/ Finland) | Karlskrona | Laponian Area | Mining Area of the Great Copper Mountain, Falun | Rock Carvings in Tanum | Royal Domain of Drottningholm | Skogskyrkogården | Struve Geodetic Arc (w/ nine other countries) | Varberg Radio Station | Visby The Viking Age is the name of the period between 793 and 1066 AD in Scandinavia and Britain, following the Germanic Iron Age (and the Vendel Age in Sweden). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1536x2048, 611 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Longship Viking Gokstad ship Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Kaupang is the name of a town with roots from the Viking Age, situated in Vestfold county in Norway. ... Lindholm Høje, June 2004, view overlooking Nørresundby and across the Limfjord to Aalborg Lindholm Høje (trans: the rise of Lindholm) is a major Viking burial site and former settlement situated to the north of and overlooking the city of Aalborg. ... Hedeby (Haithabu in Old Norse; Heidiba in Latin; in Germany the name Haithabu is frequently used) was a Danish settlement and trading centre on the southern Baltic Sea coast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of a narrow, navigable inlet, the Schlei (Danish: Slien) in the province of Schleswig... Ribe Cathedral in Ribe, Denmark. ... Sigtuna is a city in central Sweden in the metropolitan area of Stockholm. ... Köpingsvik is a village on the Swedish island province of Oelandia. ... Reric (also Rerik) was an old Slav trading settlement, probably on the coast of the Baltic Sea. ... View on Cape Arkona Cape Arkona is a cape on the island of Rügen in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. ... Wolin is the name shared by an island located in the Baltic Sea located just off the Polish coast, and a town located on the island. ... Motto: none Voivodship Warmia-Masuria Municipal government Rada Miejska w Elblągu Mayor Henryk Słonina Area 83,32 km² Population  - city  - urban  - density 130. ... Mokhovoye (Russian: ; German: ; Lithuanian: ) is a rural settlement in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located at the south-western corner of the Curonian Lagoon, near Zelenogradsk. ... Grobiņa is a town in western Latvia. ... Vanaja is an old name of a late municipality in central Tavastia, Finland, about 100 kilometers north of Helsinki. ... The fortress of Ladoga was built in stone in the 12th century and rebuilt 400 years later. ... Nicholas Roerich. ... Velikiy Novgorod (Russian: ) is the foremost historic city of North-Western Russia. ... Gnezdovo or Gnyozdovo (Russian: ) is an archeological site located near the village of Gnyozdovo in Smolensk Oblast, Russia. ... One of the excavators of Sarskoe was Nicholas Roerich. ... Timerevo (Russian: Тимерёво, Timeryovo) is an archaeological site near the village Bolshoe Timeryovo, seven kilometers southwest of Yaroslavl, which yielded the largest deposits of early medieval Arabic coins in Northern Europe. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Sweden. ... Elabana Falls is in Lamington National Park, part of the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves World Heritage site in Queensland, Australia. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Adelsö is an island in the middle of the lake Mälaren in Sweden near southern and northern Björkfjärden. ... Gammelstad Church Town Gammelstad Church Town (Swedish: ) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated near the city of LuleÃ¥, Sweden at the northern end of the Gulf of Bothnia. ... Engelsberg Ironworks is a ironworks in Engelsberg, a village in Fagersta Municipality in Västmanland, Sweden. ... The High Coast (Swedish: Höga Kusten) is a part of the Swedish coast on the Gulf of Bothnia, situated around Örnsköldsvik and notable as the type area for research on isostacy, the phenomenon having been first recognised and studied there. ... Kvarken (alt. ... Karlskrona is a city in south-eastern Sweden. ... The Laponian area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the province of Laponia in northern Sweden. ... For the spiritual practise, see Falun Gong Falun is a city in central Sweden, in the province of Dalarna at 60°36´N 15°37´E. The town has about 35,000 inhabitants. ... Tanumshede (58. ... The Drottningholm Palace is the private residence of the Swedish royal family. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with SkogskyrkogÃ¥rden - The Woodland Cemetery. ... The Struve Geodetic Arc is a chain of survey triangulations stretching from Hammerfest in Norway to the Black Sea, through ten countries and over 2,820 km. ... VLF transmitter Grimeton The Grimeton VLF transmitter is a VLF transmission facility near Grimeton close to Varberg in Sweden. ... Visby is the largest city on the Swedish island of Gotland;it is arguably the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia, and has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. ...