In 1957 in Klinta near Köpingsvik (Öland, Schweden) K.G. Petersson excavated a very interesting Viking Age cremation grave 59:3.
In this grave were discovered burnt bones of woman and man (buried in grave 59:2) which were in majority placed in small urn located in grave pit in the centre of mound. Moreover, in the cremation layer above grave pit were discovered burnt remains of cat, cow, dog, horse, pig, sheep/goat and few paw bones and claws bear. Above that, in grave pit was found unburnt skeleton of hen (Gallus gallus domesticus).
In the grave pit and cremation layer were documented inter alia unique iron staff, oval brooches, rectangular copper sheets with runic inscriptions, axehead, bronze jug, bronze bowl and tiny Thor's hammer ring.
Artefacts from this very complex grave are presented in the Swedish History Museum in Stockholm.
More information concerning cremation grave 59:3 from Klinta can be found in:
Gardeła L. 2016: (Magic) Staffs in the Viking Age, Studia Medievalia Septentrionalia 27, Wien.
Price N. 2002: The Viking Way: Religion and War in Late Iron Age Scandinavia, AUN 31, Uppsala.
Schultze H. 1987: Köpings socken, [in:] M. Beskow Sjöberg (ed.), Ölands järnåldersgravfält I, Stockholm, pp. 21-138.
This grave will be also discussed in my forthcoming publications concerning meaning of birds the Viking Age graves and beliefs.
Links to my post concerning staffs from Viking Age can be found here.
