Pagan holy sites in Sweden 🇸🇪 History documentary

We can learn a lot about the pagan religion of Vikings and their ancestors, not only in old books and manuscripts, but in the landscape itself. Sweden in particular is covered in ancient ritual sites which were used by the Norse peoples. Some of them date to the medieval Viking era, while others are much older, yet were still in use during Viking times.

In this film, I travel around Sweden to show you some of the most fascinating and mysterious archaeological religious sites and, through them, help you to understand a bit more about the ancient religion of the Norse peoples and where you can go in Sweden to see it for yourself. We cover everything from barrows and grave-fields, ship burials, stone ship settings, sacrificial trees and god poles, ritual areas such as the treudd and more.

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Art:
Viking warriors by Christian Sloan Hall
Treudd by Ryan Murray
Animated god pole and ship by Christopher Steininger

Music in order:
theme song: Wolcensmen - Sunne
Borg - The May Queen enters the circle
Bark Sound Productions - Eld
Myling - Töcken
Xurious - Steppe expansion
Borg - the choosing ceremony
Elegiac - Odin
Halindir - Hedelandet II
Ormgård - Sjálfsforn
Bark Sound Productions - EGD
Bark Sound Productions - in return

Sources:

00:00 Intro
01:22 Viking burial and belief
06:44 what is a barrow?
09:20 Yggdrasill and the cosmic centre
13:29 Stone ships
16:20 Treudd
18:02 Släbro
26:36 Rösaring
28:51 Vada mounds
31:10 Conclusion

[BosmanHa]

It makes sense that dogs were believed to be mediators between the living and the dead. My dog often gets up and barks at things I cannot see

[sleepywoodelf]

My mother is a hospice nurse. She says the dying often talk about a train, plane, or other sort of transport coming for them (depending on their background; for example the man who spoke of a plane was a pilot), or about needing their shoes or to pack their bags. Makes me think the dying Norse would be asking to have their horse or ship made ready, or for their shoes (helskór)--hence the burial custom.

[HistoryTime]

Really enjoyed this one. I can’t wait to visit Sweden.

[mestrecice]

I believe the symbols on the rocks, based on my analysis of it, might mean "Subscribe to Survive The Jive"

[DannHeinrich]

Your videos are the best Thomas. Why don't you make a documentary about Russia? More specifically Novgorod. It had a lot of Scandinavian influence

[qualqui]

Viking heritage was so important that barrows continued to be made for the local nobles and priests, including rune stones in the building of about Paganism which probably was a tie to the Earth and the Cosmos? Something similar in Mesoamerica, the spanish friars would make statues of christian saints, but the makers being pagan would include a likeness of Tláloc, the God of Water and of many others inside the statue, so that it would appear the people were worshipping the saint but in truth they were worshipping the ol' gods of Meso America.Thank for a most interesting upload Survive the Jive and greetings from Mexico! :)

[BosmanHa]

Very well made and interesting documentary film.

VERY

[marcusrhodes]

I think this is the best work you've done so far: Instead of chronicling, and bemoaning the loss of our culture, get busy preserving and promoting it. More like this. PLEASE!

[swarmlord]

I grew up on Frösön. It has a runestone as well and I learned about the ancient sacrificial tree as an adult. The connection to my ancestors is, to me, strong there.
Thank you for making this, it is very informative and really quite beautiful. The Gods are alive!

[RubioNegroZaravia]

By destroying an important monument, Boniface was able to sever the ties between the local people and their traditional culture. Makes one reflect on today's iconoclasts as they tear down the statues of the mighty men of yore.

[nilsolofleif]

This was beautiful. It makes me sad to think of the state of our culture and nation today. I hope that the winds will turn soon and I hope that our people wake up in time. I feel proud of my nordic neighbours!

[richard]

This was fascinating. Thank you for making this piece.

[caitgems]

I have a barrow about a hundred yards from my house in Scotland.

[parchment]

Seriously thank you so much for making these videos!!! It’s very well put together and your narrating adds a badass element to this epic documentary. Thanks mate :)

[alexgabriel]

Thank you a Thousand Times for Posting this Amazing Production! I was impressed to see the sites and the impressions in the ground. I was always curious about Viking burial and religion. Thank you once again for going all the way to Sweden. There are few producers like you, dynamic, interesting and getting great details. Health & Happiness to You from Austin Texas.

[HyperboreanSoul]

Thank you so much for making this! It brought a tear to my eye the way you showed our ancient history and traditions..im truly greatful!

[woodyz]

No mounds in Australia, but I intend on having one when I pass.

[herrw]

Fantastic work, Thomas! Very well produced with very interesting content.

[kuzzbillington]

How about that, I was expecting a travel guide, but accidently learnt alot more of my ancestors history and rites than most other viking documentaries has done. Well done.

[adamrinasmadsen]

If you ever want to explore more of Sweden, i would suggest to look in to the megalith/viking areas around Falköping/Hornborga and look in to Varnhem and Kata gård where Sweden was "born". Thank you for a nice video! I enjoyed it a lot.