Archaeology day at Birka

When Hjalmar Stolpe arrived at Björkö in the 1870s, there had already been suspicions for centuries that the old city of Birka must have been located there, and smaller archaeological excavations on the island had strengthened this hypothesis. Hjalmar, a geologist, was drawn by rumors that amber could be found on the island.

Some believed the amber finds were natural, while others referred to an old legend that claimed a ship loaded with amber had sunk near Björkö during the Viking Age. Hjalmar wanted to uncover the truth and spent 1,000 days of his life pursuing it. Indeed, he did find amber on the island, but he also discovered much more than he had expected.

Follow in the footsteps of Hjalmar Stolpe on a dramatized guided tour where he shares stories about his life and discoveries in Birka.

12:30 Dramatized guided tour with Hjalmar Stolpe
12:30 Guided tour of the archaeological site (in English)
13:45 Guided tour of the archaeological site (in Swedish)

Date: August 25, 2024