Tips on ancient monuments
Ancient monuments are all around us, sometimes we may not even notice them. But it is exciting to see the traces of people’s lives and work. Here we suggest some ancient monuments in Mariestad that you can explore on your own.
Boundary stones
In 1583, Mariestad was granted its town privileges under the rule of Duke Karl, son of Gustav Vasa (later King Karl IX). The town’s boundaries were marked with five stones in different directions. Three of these stones still remain in their original locations today.
The northern stone stands along the road towards Snapen, between the car road and the pedestrian and cycle path. It is easy to access if you want to take a really close look. In the east, the former town boundary is marked in Krontorp, just before Stockholmsvägen joins the E20. The southern stone stands between Sandbäcken and Ullervad, on the grounds of Mariestad riding club.
They are made of limestone and were erected in 1593, the same year construction of Mariestad Cathedral began. A major reason for putting up the boundary stones was to be able to collect tax for passing within the town’s borders. On the stone in Krontorp you can see a depiction of Mariestad’s city coat of arms.
Burial grounds
Our area has been inhabited for several thousand years, and of course there are traces of burial grounds in many places. Here we tell you about some of them.
Torsö
Two Iron Age burial grounds show that the island has been inhabited since ancient times. In Nolby, on a ridge running northwest–southeast, there are about forty ancient remains in the form of stone settings and mounds. On a height 150 metres to the southeast lie the remains of a burial ground and a stone circle, though they were damaged long ago.
On a ridge at Hässelstad there is another burial ground. In the northern part of the ridge there are about 20 ancient remains with mounds, stone circles, stone settings, and standing stones. At the southern end there are another 20 ancient remains. Here you can find, among other things, a stone ship setting, six stone circles, and two less common so-called square stone settings.
Västeräng
By the Västeräng allotment area, archaeological excavations have shown that the site has been inhabited since the Stone Age. Here there is an Iron Age burial ground with about ten stone settings. Nearby stands a runestone from around the year 1000, erected right next to a ford across the river Tidan.
Marieforsleden and Bäcken
In central Mariestad there are two Iron Age burial grounds, believed to have belonged to the old chieftain’s farm Tuna, which was located on the western side of the river Tidan.
Along Marieforsleden we find one of them. According to the Swedish National Heritage Board, there are four stone circles, one standing stone, and a couple of uncertain graves here. However, the archaeologist Algot Friberg, during his excavations in the late 1800s, instead observed a stone ship setting. It was said to have been 24 metres long and consisted of ten stones. He also reported a stone circle with five stones and two standing stones, one of which is believed to have been moved or removed when the sidewalk next to the site was built. Of the ten stones that were said to have made up the ship setting, eight remain today, which means that the ship shape may have disappeared. At the same site, traces of a hearth (open fireplace) dated to 5490–5310 BC have also been found.
The other burial ground is located at the entrance to Sommargården Bäcken, about 700 metres to the north. It is not known whether the burial grounds were used at the same time or one at a time. Both have been dated to the Late Iron Age, but there may be roots further back in time. The burial ground at Bäcken lies on a small hill and was originally larger than what you see today. Excavations have shown traces of graves on the other side of Ekuddenvägen as well. What remains today are ten mounds, 21 round stone settings, one stone circle, one standing stone, and seven boulder stones. The burial ground is not very distinct today, and many stone settings are hidden under moss and grass. But the site is believed to have been important as far back as the 300s AD.
Böckersboda
Near Norrkvarn by the Göta Canal lies the village of Böckersboda. Here there are traces from several different periods, a dwelling house from 1674 and a mission house from 1902 stand side by side with Iron Age stone ship settings. The larger of the ships is 30 metres long and consists of 16 standing stones. The smaller consists of seven standing stones. Excavations have found cremation graves in both ships. Finds have also included bone gaming pieces, a bronze button, bone combs, a tooth bead, a comb case, fragments of iron objects, and bear claws. With the help of these finds, the graves have been dated to the Early Iron Age, around 500 AD. A few hundred metres from the ship settings you will also find a stone circle with five stones.
Runestones
The area around Mariestad is rich in runestones. In Leksberg parish alone we find five. They can often give us an insight into who the people were who once lived here. The runestones here are not gravestones, but memorial stones for people who have passed away.
On two of the five runestones in Leksberg, you can read about a man named Olov Nacke and his son Torkel. Olov was a chieftain, and based on what the inscriptions say, he is said to have owned at least 15 farms.
You can also read about Tore Skorpa and his son Kättil. Kättil died before his father, who then raised two stones in memory of his son. One of them is dated to the year 1010, which tells us that Tore Skorpa probably lived during the reign of King Erik the Victorious.
Here we list some runestones in different places in Mariestad that you can visit and take a closer look at.
- Leksberg Church – (there are two runestones here, one inside the churchyard and the other just outside. Erected by Gunnur and by Tore Skorpa respectively). There is also said to have been a large burial ground with stone settings and stone circles here, but none of this remains to be seen today.
- Karleby – near the old church site by road 26, where remains of two medieval churches have been found, stands a runestone erected by Tore Skorpa.
- Sunnevad/Västeräng – Runestone erected by Roar, right next to a ford across the Tidan. Nearby there is a burial ground with about ten stone settings.
- Ek – just over 1.5 km north of Stora Ek Manor, along the old main road. It runs as a small gravel road a few hundred metres south of the current main road to Mariestad. It is believed that this gravel road was the route used by the kings of the time on their Eriksgata. The stone was erected by Udd the skald, probably during the reign of Erik the Victorious.
- Lyrestad, Rogstorp – The stone stands in a field next to Friaån, about 1.5 km northwest of Lyrestad Church. The stone is dated to about 980–1015. On one side there is an inscription saying that the stone was raised in memory of Gunnar. On the back, bound animals can be seen. There are six runestones in Sweden with similar animal depictions; three of these are in Västergötland (this one in Rogstorp, the one mentioned above in Ek, and one in Falköping). Remember not to walk on cultivated farmland when you visit the site of the runestone.