<< Our Photo Pages >> Staraya Ladoga - Barrow Cemetery in Russia
Submitted by Jonik on Wednesday, 30 August 2017 Page Views: 2107
Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Staraya LadogaCountry: Russia Type: Barrow Cemetery
Latitude: 60.012050N Longitude: 32.301350E
Condition:
5 | Perfect |
4 | Almost Perfect |
3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
0 | No data. |
-1 | Completely destroyed |
5 | Superb |
4 | Good |
3 | Ordinary |
2 | Not Good |
1 | Awful |
0 | No data. |
5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
4 | Short walk on a footpath |
3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
2 | A long walk |
1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
0 | No data. |
5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
0 | no data |
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Staraya Ladoga is a remarkable place. Here is the Aldeigjuborg of Norse fame, the settlement on the western side of the Volkhov river that provided the Swedish Vikings - the Varangian Rus who gave their name to Russia - with the gateway to the Russian river system and ultimately Constantinople. Today a number of large burial mounds, or "Sopki", survive, hulking high over the Volkhov around the point where it meets the smaller Ladozkha before sweeping down into Lake Ladoga, Europe's largest lake.
Dendrochronology dates the first settlement to 753, and the fabled Varangian leader Rurik is said to have made it his capital in 862. He may even be buried in one of the tumuli. Archaeologists say 90-95 percent of the Arabic coins found in Sweden will have passed through Staraya Ladoga.
The village is about 120km east of St Petersburg and can be reached from there by a combination of bus and train. It is also a very straightforward drive of just over two hours.
The three famous large mounds will not be missed because they sit alongside the road through the town, just to the north. There is a sign at the entrance to the site dating them from the 8th to 10th centuries. During the earlier part of that time this was the biggest trading centre in eastern Europe, archaeologists say. Standing on those mounds today, other tumuli can be made out along the riverbank in both directions, and at least one sits next to the village's fortress to the south and is easily accessible. I have yet to find a reliable estimate of their number but am sure that travellers with time to spend will discover much to explore and to delight them here. There is also a museum with finds from the period for those who arrive with time to visit.
Staraya Ladoga is a rare and fascinating place. Anyone with a lively interest in the Viking age will find this settlement with its barrows standing like sentinels above the river to be as significant, thought-provoking, emotive and beautiful as Borre, Lindholm Hoje or Lindisfarne. It is worth taking trouble to see.
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