Pillars from the past: Swedish archaeologists uncover rows of pre-Viking foundations for giant wooden poles near 1,500-year-old royal burial ground

Colonnades found in the ancient pagan religious centre of Old Uppsala during work on a new railway line

A rchaeologists say the 'unique' colonnades were likely from the 5th century, but their purpose is uncle ar

One row stretches for about 1km, while the other runs for about half the length in 'completely straight lines'

Experts believe the pillars would have been around 7m high and needed at least a ton of rock to support them




Archaeologists in Sweden say they have unearthed the remains of unusually large wooden monuments near a pre-Viking Age burial ground.

As the ground was dug in preparation for a new railway line, they found traces of two rows of wooden pillars in Old Uppsala, an ancient pagan religious centre.



One stretched about 1km and the other was around half as long.

Mystery: Archaeologists in Sweden have uncovered this 1km-long row of wooden poles which is believed to be from the 5th Century, but their purpose is unclear

Unique: The wooden monuments were found near a pre-Viking Age burial ground while work was carried out to prepare for a new railway line

Archaeologist Lena Beronius-Jorpeland said the colonnades were likely from the 5th century, but their purpose is unclear.



She called it Sweden's largest Iron Age construction and said the geometrical structure is unique.

'It is a completely straight line and they have dug postholes every 20 feet (6m),' she said. 'They have had an idea of exactly where this line is going and where to build it.



'It is a fairly modern way of thinking and we don't have many traces of these sorts of constructions from that time.'

Exciting find: Archaeologist Fredrik Thölin sitting next to one of the foundations where the wooden poles were erected around every 20 feet

Intriguing: Archaeologist Anton Seiler examines one of the foundations which held pillars that were believed to be around 7m high

She said the pillars are believed to have been at least 23 feet (7m) high.



Bones found in some postholes indicate animals had been sacrificed there.

Old Uppsala is known as a centre for Norse religion, where believers gathered to sacrifice animals to gods such as Odin and Thor.



The skeleton of a puppy (left) in one of the pits, which suggests it had been sacrificed there. Right, an artist's impression of workers erecting the poles which needed more than a ton of rock to support them

What were they for? An artist's impression of what the monument may have looked like. The colonnades have been described as Sweden's largest Iron Age construction

The colonnades were found near a famous burial site where the three Iron Age kings Aun, Egil and Adils are believed to be buried.

Beronius-Jorpeland said written testimonies from medieval times describe the city as a place for large pagan 'blood ceremonies' and religious feasts.