Kånna högar

Kånna Högar (Kånna Mounds) is the largest burial field in Kronoberg County, consisting of 291 ancient monuments, specifically 240 burial mounds, one cairn, 17 stone settings, two stone circles, an Iron Age dolmen, and 30 standing stones.

The largest mounds have a diameter of 20 meters (65 feet) and are just over two meters (6.5 feet) high. About 20 of the mounds are oval in shape, while the rest are round. One of the mounds has a standing stone on top, and several mounds have edge grooves. Most of the stone settings are circular, but two three-armed settings also exist. The largest three-armed setting has sides measuring 20 meters (65 feet) and features large boulders at the arms. The stone circles have diameters of 12 and 16 meters (39 and 52 feet) and consist of 4 and 5 stones, respectively, reaching heights of up to 1.75 meters (5.7 feet).

The burial field primarily dates from the later Iron Age. Iron Age dolmens, however, are usually associated with the earlier Iron Age.

The Iron Age dolmen consists of three upright slabs with an open side facing east. On top of the northern slab, there is a cup-marked depression. One of the standing stones bears a later runic inscription from the 19th century. The cairn, measuring 18 meters (59 feet) in diameter and one meter (3.3 feet) in height, is likely the oldest funerary monument within the burial field.

A SILVER COIN FOR THE JOURNEY

During road construction in the 1960s, archaeologists investigated three graves. In one of the graves, they found a skeleton with grave goods. Curiously, a poorly preserved silver coin was placed in the mouth of the deceased. The tradition of placing a silver coin in the mouth to pay for the journey across the river Styx to the underworld can be traced back to Greek mythology. The graves also yielded a bronze buckle and an iron knife with remnants of a wooden handle.

The Swedish National Property Board (Statens fastighetsverk) took over the management of Kånna Högar from the National Heritage Board (Riksantikvarieämbetet) on January 1, 2015.

This text is AI-generated.