The burial area of Istrehågan

Istrehågan is an ancient burial ground at Istre in Tjølling, close to the boundary between Larvik and Sandefjord. Five large stone settings stand in a woodland clearing. Two are shaped like ships, while the other three are circular. The burial ground is a protected heritage site that you can explore independently. There is something striking about coming across these tall stones among the trees. They invite you to wonder who built them, how they were moved here and why this particular place mattered.

Two ships made of stone
The largest ship-shaped stone setting is approximately 24 metres long and nine metres wide. Several stones are around one metre high, while the tall stones marking the bow and stern reach up to four metres. As you walk around the site, the outlines of the two stone ships become clear. Three circular stone settings stand nearby. People were buried here roughly 1,500 years ago, during the Iron Age. The site is older than the famous Viking Age ship burials elsewhere in Vestfold.

What did archaeologists discover?
Archaeological investigations confirmed that the stone settings marked burials. Excavations revealed cremated human remains, along with objects including bear claws, bone gaming pieces and pottery. The finds offer a glimpse of burial customs during the Migration Period, around AD 400–550. The full meaning of the ship shapes remains uncertain. The stone settings were investigated during the 1950s and 1960s. Some stones had fallen over in earlier centuries, and Tjølling Historical Society subsequently restored the monuments. The site you see today therefore includes original remains that have been carefully re-erected.

An ancient route through the landscape
Istrehågan stands on a ridge where the stone monuments would once have been visible across the surrounding landscape. An old route passed nearby, connecting Sandar, Istre and Tjodalyng. Traces of this route can still be seen as footpaths and hollow ways worn into the ground by generations of travellers. The location suggests that the burial monuments were intended to be noticed by people moving through the area.

Combine your visit with a woodland walk
Istrehågan is connected to the walking trails in Marumskogen, a woodland area between Sandefjord and Tjølling. For a shorter visit, use the designated parking area at Furustadlia 45 and follow the marked path towards the stones. For a longer walk, start from the Sandefjord side, near Store Bergan School or Sandefjord Golf Club. The Pilgrim Trail through Vestfold, known as Tunsbergleden, also passes Istrehågan. It is a natural place to stop and explore some of the region's early history.

Part of Vestfold's Viking Route
Although Istrehågan is older than the Viking Age, it is included in Vestfold's Viking Route, which connects historic sites across the region. You can continue your historical journey to Gokstad Burial Mound in Sandefjord or explore other Iron Age and Viking Age sites in Vestfold.

Help protect the burial ground
Istrehågan is a protected archaeological site. Please respect the stones and the surrounding landscape. Camping and lighting fires are prohibited within the burial ground. Horse riding is restricted to the path, and dogs must be kept on a lead during the general leash season.
Bring a picnic if you wish, but take all litter home.