Helgö
Encyclopedia
Helgö is an island in Ekerö Municipality
in Stockholm County
, Sweden
. Helgö is an island situated in Lake Mälaren
. The island's greatest width is about 1.5 km, it is about 5 km long and covers 48 hectares.
at Björkö
. The first archaeological dig in 1954 found not only remains of the early settlement, but also a workshop area that became of international interest. Among the finds were a small Buddha
statuette from North India
and a christening scoop from Egypt
, both dating from 6th century. The Indian Buddha statuette, the Irish crozier and the Egyptian scoop which were found on Helgö, are presently on display in the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities
in Stockholm
.
The site where Kaggeholm Palace is located was first mentioned in a land title document in 1287. During the 1500s the farm was owned by members of the families Grip
and Bååt
. The farm was originally called Vettersjö, but was named by Swedish Count Lars Kagg (1595-1661) who bought the manor during 1647. Kagg was a political ally of King Gustavus Adolphus, a member of the Privy Council of Sweden
and Field Marshal during the Thirty Years' War
.
The chateau-style mansion was built in 1725 and designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger
. Since 1939 it has been owned by the Swedish Pentecostal movement
and is used as a training center by nearby Kaggeholm College.
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dating with Volume I covering the period 1954-1956. The most recent report was Volume XVII released during 2008.
Ekerö Municipality
Ekerö Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. The name comes from the island Ekerö, and literally means "Oak Island". Its seat is located in the town of Ekerö....
in Stockholm County
Stockholm County
Stockholm County is a county or län on the Baltic sea coast of Sweden. It borders Uppsala County and Södermanland County. It also borders Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The city of Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. Stockholm County is divided by the historic provinces of Uppland and Södermanland...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Helgö is an island situated in Lake Mälaren
Mälaren
Lake Mälaren is the third-largest lake in Sweden, after Lakes Vänern and Vättern. Its area is 1,140 km² and its greatest depth is 64 m. Mälaren spans 120 kilometers from east to west...
. The island's greatest width is about 1.5 km, it is about 5 km long and covers 48 hectares.
Excavations at Helgo
The island is perhaps best known for a major archaeological area. The old trading town on Helgö began to emerge around the year 200 AD. and are 500 year older than BirkaBirka
During the Viking Age, Birka , on the island of Björkö in Sweden, was an important trading center which handled goods from Scandinavia as well as Central and Eastern Europe and the Orient. Björkö is located in Lake Mälaren, 30 kilometers west of contemporary Stockholm, in the municipality of Ekerö...
at Björkö
Björkö
Björkö can signify:# In Sweden:## Björkö, a Lake Mälaren island in Ekerö Municipality, Stockholm County, the location for the excavation and World Heritage Site Birka....
. The first archaeological dig in 1954 found not only remains of the early settlement, but also a workshop area that became of international interest. Among the finds were a small Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
statuette from North India
Gupta Empire
The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire which existed approximately from 320 to 550 CE and covered much of the Indian Subcontinent. Founded by Maharaja Sri-Gupta, the dynasty was the model of a classical civilization. The peace and prosperity created under leadership of Guptas enabled the...
and a christening scoop from Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, both dating from 6th century. The Indian Buddha statuette, the Irish crozier and the Egyptian scoop which were found on Helgö, are presently on display in the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities
Swedish Museum of National Antiquities
Swedish Museum of National Antiquities is a museum located in Stockholm, Sweden that covers Swedish cultural history and art from the Stone Age to the 16th century...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
.
Kaggeholm Castle
Grip
Grip may refer to:* Handle , a part of, or attachment to, an object, allowing it to be moved or used by hand* Grip strength, a measure of hand strength* Grippers, exercise machines used to increase hand strength- In sports :...
and Bååt
Bååt
Bååt was an important Swedish noble family, originally from Småland insouth-eastern Sweden.The family is especially known for its long association with Viipuri/Vyborg castle in Finland , the bulwark of the then Swedish realm, at the border against Novgorod/Russia...
. The farm was originally called Vettersjö, but was named by Swedish Count Lars Kagg (1595-1661) who bought the manor during 1647. Kagg was a political ally of King Gustavus Adolphus, a member of the Privy Council of Sweden
Privy Council of Sweden
The High Council of Sweden or Council of the Realm consisted originally of those men of noble, common and clergical background, that the king saw fit for advisory service...
and Field Marshal during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
.
The chateau-style mansion was built in 1725 and designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger
Nicodemus Tessin the Younger
Count Nicodemus Tessin the Younger was a Swedish Baroque architect, city planner, and administrator.The son of Nicodemus Tessin the Elder and the father of Carl Gustaf Tessin, Tessin the Younger was the middle-most generation of the brief Tessin dynasty, which have had a lasting influence on...
. Since 1939 it has been owned by the Swedish Pentecostal movement
Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek...
and is used as a training center by nearby Kaggeholm College.
Images
Sources
The findings from the excavations at Helgö have been reported in a series of volumes published by the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and AntiquitiesRoyal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities
The Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities also called simply the Royal Academy of Letters, abbreviated KVHAA is the Swedish royal academy for the Humanities.Its many publications include the archaeological and art historical journal Fornvännen, published since 1906.The Academy...
dating with Volume I covering the period 1954-1956. The most recent report was Volume XVII released during 2008.
Other sources
- Gyllensvard, Bo (2008) Excavations at Helgo XVII Exotic & Sacral Finds from Helgo (Almqvist & Wiksell) ISBN 9789174023701