Kammergravpraksis i Norge i vikingtid – en analyse av Hestnes-funnet i Valsøyfjord

This study examines the Viking Age chamber grave discovered at Hestnes in Valsøyfjord, Trøndelag, Norway. The grave contained a richly equipped female burial with well-preserved textiles and jewellery, offering rare insights into this burial practice. Radiocarbon dating and typological analysis date the burial to between 850 and 920 AD. The grave's construction involved a wooden chamber with corner posts and horizontal planks. The deceased was placed with the upper body raised and dressed in an embroidered cape. The findings are compared with other Scandinavian chamber graves, highlighting both commonalities and unique features. The study discusses the social and symbolic significance of chamber graves, focusing on funerary display and the social function of the burial scene. It suggests that chamber burials were a way to stage the deceased as continuing to live within the chamber. The Hestnes grave provides valuable insights into the complexity and variability of Viking Age burial practices and their societal roles

Radiocarbon dating · Social function · Social life · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Historical and Archaeological Studies · Historical and Cultural Archaeology Studies