Recent Discoveries at Gamla Uppsala, Sweden by GUAM

A previously unknown great burial mound and a Vendel Period gold pendant have recently been discovered at Gamla Uppsala. The project behind the latter two discoveries, Gamla Uppsala – the emergence of a mythical centre (GUAM), maintains a blog covering the team's ongoing excavations, which readers can follow here. The blog is full of interesting information about GUAM's excavations in the area. GUAM is a collaboration between Uppsala University, the Uppland Museum, the National Heritage Board, and Societas Archaeologica Upsaliensis (SAU).

Gamla Uppsala (Swedish ‘Old Uppsala’) is a particularly notable location in ancient Germanic studies. According to several sources from the medieval period, the site was once the location of a major North Germanic pagan religious temple, the Temple at Uppsala. Unlike, say, the columns of Classical ruins, today there is no visible sign of any such temple, but imposing mounds still stand at the site. By the 12th century, Gamla Uppsala was the site of Sweden’s first Archbishopric.

Given the significance of the site, it’s no surprise that that the site has seen a significant amount of scholarly attention, ranging from archaeological digs to discussion among scholars (often perplexing given the complex nature of Germanic holy spaces). In 2013, for example, a long row of post holes was found, reaching 1.5 km (nearly 1 mile) in length. The purpose of this dramatic row remains unclear.