5/5 Frank P. 4 years ago on Google
The
stone
ship's
prow
reaches
for
the
sky.
Towards
the
evening
sky
they
stand
there
like
silent
soldiers
-
ready
to
defend
the
deceased
princes
earthly
remains.
There
is
an
aura
of
awe
that
characterizes
the
monuments
of
Istrehågan.
A
burial
site
consisting
of
three
round,
stone
circles
and
2
ship
stone
settings,
as
well
as
a
raised
stone
(memorial).
It
has
been
investigated
archaeologically
and
in
the
largest
ship,
signs
of
cremation
were
found.
Among
the
discoveries
made
were
a
bone
needle,
bear
claws,
eagles
bone
comb
and
game
pieces
in
bone,
iron
nails
and
shards
of
pottery
all
dating
from
the
4-500
century
AD.
In
the
circular
stone
settings
there
were
also
signs
of
cremations.
North
of
the
great
ship
in
the
early
1900s
the
remians
of
a
so-called
scrub
mill
for
grinding
grain
was
discovered.
Istrehågan
burial
ground
is
clearly
visible
on
a
ridge.
Along
this
we
find
several
tombs
from
the
Iron
Age.
In
the
valley
about
50
meters
west
of
the
field
is
a
smaller
burial
mound
and
at
Iver
hill
east
of
the
field
is
another.
The
position
of
these
burial
mounds
were
often
in
sight
of
a
farm
and
visible
from
afar.
They
were
considered
a
sign
of
social
standing
to
those
who
came
along
the
road,
the
sea
or
rivers.
A
monumental
burial
was
a
signal
to
strangers
that
they
were
approaching
a
rich
farm
with
a
strong
family.
Therefore
the
burial
grounds
were
often
in
close
proximity
to
transport
routes;
such
as
here
on
the
ancient
road
through
Tjølling,
past
Tjodalyng
(Tjølling
church)
-
Tveiten
-
Skalleberg
over
Istre
and
onto
the
Sandar.
The
road
is
still
visible
in
the
form
of
a
trail
east
of
the
burial
ground
and
in
several
places
deep
trenches
(sunken
roads)
can
be
seen
in
the
terrain
south
of
stone
settings.
It
has
been
questioned
whether
or
not
the
now
lost
Istre
church
or
chapel,
mentioned
in
the
King's
Letter
from
King
Magnus
in
1320
and
the
Red
Book
1398
and
burned
in
the
1560s,
had
been
connected
with
the
burials
at
Istrehågan.
There
is
no
evidence
for
this
theory
however.
Many
of
the
country's
ancient
monuments
are
today
just
plundered
ruins,
others
are
so
overgrown
that
they
are
barely
visible.
In
particular
agricultural
restructuring
of
production
is
one
cause
of
this
-
the
vegetation
is
not
held
down
by
grazing.
It
is
therefore
important
that
some
of
the
ancient
monuments
are
cleared,
restored
and
are
handled
manually
as
is
done
with
this
site
at
Istrehågan.
Istrehågan
burial
mounds
were
examined
by
the
Museum
of
National
Antiquities
and
Tjølling
historical
society
in
the
years
1959-1962
and
the
standing
stones
were
restored,
all
the
stones
had
in
earlier
times
been
overturned
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