Ekornavallen

Ekornavallen is a captivating destination for history enthusiasts. The site preserves a large number of diverse graves from several different eras. Here, you will find stone circles, passage graves, a stone cist, several standing stones, stone settings, square stone settings, and a cairn.

4,000 years between the graves

There is a staggering 4,000-year gap between the oldest grave (circa 3300 BC) and the youngest (800–1050 AD).

Girommen

The large passage grave at the site is known as Girommen ("The Giant's Oven") and is a burial place built for multiple people, perhaps an entire clan. The burial chamber is an impressive 2 metres wide and 13 metres long, situated amongst other stones within a stone setting with a diameter of 37 metres. It dates back to approximately 3300–3000 BC.

During a restoration after the Second World War (1946), various remains were found, including pottery shards, a flint chisel, and amber beads. Today, the passage grave itself is completely filled with stones; however, this was done in recent years to stabilise the construction and prevent visitors from entering.

Stone circles and square stone settings

The largest stone circle has a diameter of 10 metres and originally consisted of 10 standing stones, 7 of which remain today. The site also features three so-called square stone settings, where a number of stones are arranged to form patterns. For example, five stones with one in each corner and one in the centre.

Stone settings

The largest stone settings at Ekornavallen measure up to 25 metres in diameter and are almost half a metre high. The two largest stone settings are 25 and 17 metres in diameter respectively. There is also a large stone setting in the shape of a trident, with sides at least 20 metres long.

Bronze Age cairn

At Ekornavallen, you will also find a Bronze Age cairn measuring 27 metres in diameter and 2.5 metres in height. The cairn is surrounded by a 4-metre-wide stone setting.

Once home to even more graves

In addition to the more or less well-preserved stone settings, there are also individual standing stones at the site. Unfortunately, several slabs in the area have fallen or been damaged, and it is known that there were once significantly more graves at Ekornavallen than there are today. Plowing over the years when the land was farmed, particularly during the late 19th century, along with various restoration attempts, has likely destroyed many of the graves.

Despite this, Ekornavallen is well worth a visit to gain a fascinating insight into how people honoured their dead thousands of years ago.