CHAPTER EIGHT ( 1 )

BIRKA

Björn Ambrosiani

I

n the eighth century ad, while Charlemagne still relied on traditions linked to the
Roman Empire, western Europe slowly began to distance itself from the ancient
world. Increasing economic, political and religious activity led to broader political
contacts and emerging trade alliances outside the boundaries of the old empire
(McCormick 2001 ). Two important centres on the routes of travel across the Northern
Sea, soon to include the Baltic Sea area, were Quentowic and Dorestad (Clarke and
Ambrosiani 1991 ).
Several places for trade and early towns were established within a broad network as
bases for actively collecting raw materials, for example slaves and furs, particularly
attractive commodities at the new royal courts and in the towns across the whole of
western Europe.
One such place was Birka, established on a small island in a bay of the Baltic Sea
(Figures 8. 1. 1 and 8. 1. 2 ). Today this island lies in Lake Mälaren c. 30 km west of
Stockholm in eastern central Sweden. Birka is one of Sweden’s most prominent archaeo-
logical sites, where archaeological investigations have been carried out at various
locations since the 1870 s. Birka’s finds create the framework for understanding Viking
Age chronology in Sweden. Recent excavations have focused on questions concerning
the overall structure of the town and contacts between Birka and the greater north
European area. The sizeable complex of Birka and the royal manor of Alsnöhus was
added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1993.

THE TOWN

Eighth-century Birka lay on an island only a few kilometres in size, and in an area
still today heavily influenced by land uplift. The political power behind Birka’s
establishment lay at Alsnöhus on the neighbouring island of Adelsö. Birka’s town site,
the Black Earth, covers an area of c. 5 – 6 ha and is surrounded by the remains of a
complex defence system: a town rampart, an underwater palisade and a hill fort.
Extensive cemeteries contain altogether c. 2 , 000 grave mounds and many unmarked
inhumation graves which occupy considerable parts of the early island area (Ambrosiani
1992 ).