Oseberghaugen – Royal mound

In Slagendalen, just outside Tønsberg, lies the Oseberg Mound, the burial site that concealed one of the richest archaeological discoveries from the Viking Age. When archaeologists excavated the mound in 1904, they uncovered the beautifully decorated Oseberg ship, an extraordinary collection of burial objects and the remains of two women buried here in AD 834. Today, you can visit the restored burial mound and discover the place where one of Norway's most important Viking Age discoveries was made.

Two women and a magnificent Viking ship
The Oseberg ship measures almost 22 metres in length and is famous for its elaborate wood carvings. It was used as a burial ship for two women, accompanied by an exceptional collection of objects. Among the discoveries were an elaborately decorated wagon, four sledges, five carved animal-head posts, textiles, beds and tools. The burial also contained the remains of animals, including horses and dogs.
The identities of the two women remain unknown. One was traditionally associated with Queen Åsa, but researchers have not been able to establish who the women were. The extraordinary burial objects nevertheless reveal the importance of the ceremony in Viking Age society.

The excavation that made history
The archaeological excavation began on 13 June 1904, led by Gabriel Gustafson with significant contributions from Haakon Schetelig. The discovery transformed our understanding of Viking shipbuilding, craftsmanship, textiles and burial traditions. Many objects were decorated with intricate animal motifs in the artistic style now known as the Oseberg style. The mound was restored after the excavation, and the women's remains were reburied here in 1948. It was reopened in 2007 to protect the remains from further deterioration.

Visit the Oseberg Mound today
The large, grass-covered burial mound stands in the rural landscape of Slagendalen. Information boards explain the history of the ship burial and its archaeological discovery. The original Oseberg ship is preserved in Oslo, at the new Museum of the Viking Age. The museum is currently being completed and is not yet open to visitors. To see what the Oseberg ship looked like, visit Vikingodden in Tønsberg. Here you can discover Saga Oseberg, an archaeological reconstruction of the original ship, when it is moored in the harbour.

You can also visit the Slottsfjells Museum, which tells the story of the Oseberg discovery and displays the preserved Klåstad Viking ship.

Explore more Viking heritage in Vestfold
The Oseberg Mound is a stop along the Viking Trail through Vestfold, connecting some of the region's most important archaeological sites. Other places worth visiting include the Gokstad Mound in Sandefjord, where the Gokstad ship was excavated in 1880, and the Borre burial mounds in Horten, featuring monumental burial mounds from the Late Iron Age.

Practical information
The Oseberg Mound is located along Osebergstien in Slagendalen, Tønsberg municipality. You can explore the burial mound independently. Information boards are available at the site, and a cultural heritage trail follows the nearby Vellebekken stream.

Please respect the burial mound and its surroundings. This is a protected archaeological site, and digging or damaging the monument is prohibited.