Kings Grave Kivik
A Bronze Age cairn near Kivik whose stone cist is lined with carved slabs, unique in northern Europe.
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Kungagraven is a cairn about seventy-five metres across on the Osterlen coast, and what makes it matter is inside: a stone cist whose eight slabs are carved with figures - horses, a chariot with wheels shown flat, people in procession, lurs being blown, symbols nobody has explained. Nothing else in northern Europe has this. The grave was robbed for stone in 1748, which is when the slabs came to light, and the cairn was reconstructed in the 1930s around them, so the mound is modern work and the cist is not. Dating puts the burial around 1400 BC. A passage leads in to the chamber, which is lit and can be entered in season.
What you actually see
- Eight carved slabs - horses, a chariot, processions, lurs.
- A cist entered by a passage - lit, open in season.
- A cairn reconstructed in the 1930s - the mound is modern.
- A burial of about 1400 BC - Bronze Age.
When to go
May to September, when the chamber is open. An hour.
Honest expectations
The mound itself is a reconstruction. Opening is strictly seasonal and short. The carvings are worn and dimly lit. Osterlen is busy in July and August.
Nearby
Kivik and its apple orchards are south; Stenshuvud is further down the coast.
What to pack for Kings Grave Kivik
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
