Archaeologists in Sweden have uncovered a vast Viking farm and burial ground in Täby, just northeast of Stockholm. The excavation revealed the remains of 34 buildings, five graves, and around 1,450 artefacts—including a rare hoard of silver jewellery and coins preserved in a fabric bag.
The discovery has now been published in a new report following years of documentation and analysis by Arkeologerna.
A Viking Community in Täby
Archaeologist examining a pit house – photo courtesy Archaeologists, Swedish Ministry of the Environment
The settlement was located on a small hill at Viggbyholm, surrounded by fields and forest. People lived there for nearly 500 years, from the Late Iron Age (c. 500–1050 AD) into the High Middle Ages, farming the land, keeping livestock, and burying their dead.
“It has been an incredibly exciting investigation because the site contained so many different types of remains such as graves, the settlement and the silver deposit. We also carried out several scientific analyses, including DNA, which have yielded interesting results,” said John Hamilton, project manager for the excavation.
The 2020–2021 survey uncovered structures linked to 34 buildings, with at least 15 areas interpreted as ritual deposits where objects were deliberately buried. Five graves were examined—three coffins and two cremations—while bones and seeds provided new insight into the farm’s economy, diet, medicine, and religious practices.
The Silver Treasure
The silver treasure – photo courtesy Archaeologists, Swedish Ministry of the Environment
The most spectacular find was a buried pot containing silver arm and neck rings, amulets, pearls, and a fabric bag filled with coin pendants. The bag—remarkably preserved thanks to silver ions—contained 12 coin pendants dating from 904–997 AD, minted in Persia, Bavaria, Bohemia, Normandy, and England.
“The find is unique both in terms of the composition of silver objects and the fact that there is a concrete connection to farm remains and burial grounds,” explained Hamilton. “The treasure may have been buried as the conclusion of a long and grand ceremony to honor a high-ranking deceased woman. At the same time, the farm was closed at the same time.”
The bag also held pollen from Viking Age grains and medicinal plants, along with silk details that must have been imported. “It was probably a special bag that may have been used for something else from the beginning, for example in a ritual context,” Hamilton added.
Signs of Contact and Exchange
An archaeologist digs by hand in Täby – photo courtesy Archaeologists, Swedish Ministry of the Environment
Pottery fragments suggest further connections beyond Sweden. While some vessels were made from local clay, others resemble pottery more common on the opposite side of the Baltic Sea. Archaeologists believe this may indicate migration or cultural influence from elsewhere.
The farm’s burials and artefacts underline its role as part of the wider Viking world, engaged in long-distance trade and ritual practices that drew on influences from across Europe and the Islamic world.
What DNA Revealed
Silver bracelets and necklaces being dug up – photo courtesy Archaeologists, Swedish Ministry of the Environment
DNA testing was also attempted on skeletal remains from four men. While the samples were too degraded for full sequencing, the results did show that most were related, though some individuals were not.
“It is interesting information that tells us more about the people who lived here,” Hamilton noted. The evidence suggests both continuity within family groups and the presence of outsiders who joined the community.
A Window into Viking Life
The Täby excavation offers one of the most detailed pictures yet of a Viking farmstead, with its mix of settlement, graves, rituals, and a unique treasure hoard. The finds highlight not only daily life but also the cultural and economic connections of the Viking Age, stretching from Scandinavia to the Middle East.
Archaeologists in Sweden have uncovered a vast Viking farm and burial ground in Täby, just northeast of Stockholm. The excavation revealed the remains of 34 buildings, five graves, and around 1,450 artefacts—including a rare hoard of silver jewellery and coins preserved in a fabric bag.
The discovery has now been published in a new report following years of documentation and analysis by Arkeologerna.
A Viking Community in Täby
The settlement was located on a small hill at Viggbyholm, surrounded by fields and forest. People lived there for nearly 500 years, from the Late Iron Age (c. 500–1050 AD) into the High Middle Ages, farming the land, keeping livestock, and burying their dead.
“It has been an incredibly exciting investigation because the site contained so many different types of remains such as graves, the settlement and the silver deposit. We also carried out several scientific analyses, including DNA, which have yielded interesting results,” said John Hamilton, project manager for the excavation.
The 2020–2021 survey uncovered structures linked to 34 buildings, with at least 15 areas interpreted as ritual deposits where objects were deliberately buried. Five graves were examined—three coffins and two cremations—while bones and seeds provided new insight into the farm’s economy, diet, medicine, and religious practices.
The Silver Treasure
The most spectacular find was a buried pot containing silver arm and neck rings, amulets, pearls, and a fabric bag filled with coin pendants. The bag—remarkably preserved thanks to silver ions—contained 12 coin pendants dating from 904–997 AD, minted in Persia, Bavaria, Bohemia, Normandy, and England.
“The find is unique both in terms of the composition of silver objects and the fact that there is a concrete connection to farm remains and burial grounds,” explained Hamilton. “The treasure may have been buried as the conclusion of a long and grand ceremony to honor a high-ranking deceased woman. At the same time, the farm was closed at the same time.”
The bag also held pollen from Viking Age grains and medicinal plants, along with silk details that must have been imported. “It was probably a special bag that may have been used for something else from the beginning, for example in a ritual context,” Hamilton added.
Signs of Contact and Exchange
Pottery fragments suggest further connections beyond Sweden. While some vessels were made from local clay, others resemble pottery more common on the opposite side of the Baltic Sea. Archaeologists believe this may indicate migration or cultural influence from elsewhere.
The farm’s burials and artefacts underline its role as part of the wider Viking world, engaged in long-distance trade and ritual practices that drew on influences from across Europe and the Islamic world.
What DNA Revealed
DNA testing was also attempted on skeletal remains from four men. While the samples were too degraded for full sequencing, the results did show that most were related, though some individuals were not.
“It is interesting information that tells us more about the people who lived here,” Hamilton noted. The evidence suggests both continuity within family groups and the presence of outsiders who joined the community.
A Window into Viking Life
The Täby excavation offers one of the most detailed pictures yet of a Viking farmstead, with its mix of settlement, graves, rituals, and a unique treasure hoard. The finds highlight not only daily life but also the cultural and economic connections of the Viking Age, stretching from Scandinavia to the Middle East.
To learn more, please see the report Viikby – farm, graves and burial grounds in Täby, from Arkeologerna.
Top Image: Silver necklace with marking pattern – photo courtesy Archaeologists, Swedish Ministry of the Environment
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