Full resolution (TIFF) - On this page / på denna sida - I. Prehistoric Times - B. The Bronze Age - C. The Iron Age
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14 A History of Sweden
where worms and crawling things consume it. We on
the other hand burn it and instantly release the soul
for admission to paradise."
C. THE IRON AGE
(From about 600 B.C.)
The Introduction of Iron. After its use in the North
for nearly 1500 years bronze was replaced with iron,
and the Iron Age began. With iron tools the forests
could more easily be cleared and the soil cultivated.
Thus want would not immediately follow the failure
of the chase.
The Sources of Iron. The first articles of iron, like
those of bronze, came from the South. But the Swedes
soon learned the value of their rich supply of bog iron
ore, rust-colored masses of ore deposited in lakes and
marshes. By a simple melting process this ore was
readily reduced to iron, which could then be shaped
into tools and weapons. Up to the thirteenth century
of our era this was the only iron ore worked in Swed-
en, and in distant parts of the country this ore is still
worked.
Sepulchral Monuments. During the Iron Age graves
were generally marked with mounds, or barrows.
Such burial mounds from the Iron Age are the three
immense mounds at Old Uppsala known as "Kungs-
hogarna" (Kings’ Mounds). At the opening of the
third century the practice began of erecting rune
stones to the memory of departed relatives and friends,
that is, stones inscribed with runes, letters of the old-
est Teutonic alphabet.
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