Large looting at Sweden’s largest burial ground

– It started on Tuesday when one of my colleagues who is an archaeologist and educator came with a school class and went over the area and stumbled on a clear pit, says Nina Eklöf Museum Director at Västerås city.

In total, about fifty pits have been discovered in the ancient area, called one of Sweden’s most important.

The looting occurred on Monday evening or early Tuesday morning, according to Eklöf.

– I clearly think that you have gone with the metal detector and where that detector has resulted in a rash, you have with a spade dug, lift off a grass, found an object and taken it with you.

The looters have probably brought iron objects with them because there is an impression of rust and corrosion in the soil.

– But what they have brought with them exactly we do not know and we will probably not be able to find out at some point – but it is gone.

The place has not been dug Out archaeologically than the objects that have been removed may have provided important information about the Viking Age and the Bronze Age, Eklöf emphasizes.

– It is not possible to explain the feeling of how something so fast destroys something that has been here for thousands of years.

– I’m angry at the same time as I have the crying in my throat that this is gone and ruined.

What the looters are is unclear – but they have tried to leave as few traces as possible by stopping the grass stoves.

The incident has been reported to the County Administrative Board, which has completed an inspection. A police report will be made and the police are already at the cultural heritage.

– It is true that we are in place but what it ends with is too early to comment on, says press spokesman Maria Hall.