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Sweden Tour 2007
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A description in (a few) words and (many) pictures
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From May 25, 2007 to June 7, 2007 I participated
in the
Sweden Tour
2007, organized by Jeff and Kimberly Saward.
Here we are: Sharon, Els, unknown sailor, Jeff, Kim, Erwin, Ingrid, Lisa
Friday, May 25, 2007: Arrival at airport Arlanda, coming from the USA, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Germany. Travel with the chartered van to Västerås to the Quality Hotel, where we stay till Sunday. Met with John Kraft, then dinner. John gives us an overview about his work on the Swedish labyrinths (Trojeborgar).
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Sturday, May 26, 2007: We are visiting John's office, the newspaper Vestmanlands Läns Tidning in the Slottsgatan at Västerås with a pavement labyrinth in front. Then we explore Badelunda Forntidsbygd with the tallest burial mound of Sweden, the Anundshög, some shipsettings and a big runestone. The labyrinth at Tibble is nearby. We travel to Kommun Låssa in Upplands-Bro with its ceremonial road from the Viking period, some prehistoric gravefields and the Rösaring labyrinth. Visit of the Enköping labyrinth, built as replica of an old one in 1993.
Article about the Rösaring Site from Börje Sandén ... Link>
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The Swedish labyrinths are mostly stone settings, therefore
called field or stone labyrinths, but also Troy
Town (Trojaborg
in Swedish). They are
laid out with stones of different sizes and can all be walked.
The eldest ones are probably from the Bronze
Age, the others from the Viking
Age.
All are following the classical design. They have 7, 11 or
15 paths.
The method to build the labyrinth with the central cross, the
4 dots and the (4 ore more) angles between them was known through
the centuries till our days.
There are about 300 labyrints in Sweden,
the most worldwide, and the oldest and walkable labyrinths.
Possibly they may be the first walkable labyrinths in history.
Maybe we will also find the first idea to walk a labyrinth here,
so it could be the origin and the home of this way to use a
labyrinth.
The best way to keep a labyrinth alive is to walk it. It seems
that this practice or this tradition will get lost in Sweden.
What would it mean if the
Troy Towns (Trojeborgar) of Scandinavia would be inscribed on
the UNESCO's list of the World
Heritage Sites?
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Pictures from the labyrinths in the photo gallery under
Sunday, May 27, 2007: Departure to the west coast, to the northern Bohuslän, near the border with Norway. On the way we stop at Grinstad, to visit the only ancient example of the "Medieval" design on a wall painting in the church there. Unfortunately the church is closed and we can not find anyone with the key. In the evening we arrive at the Hotel Vinbäck in Tanumshede, where we will stay till Thursday. For dinner we are driving to Grebbestad.
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