Danish archaeologist may have found the tomb of a really, really (really) old Viking chief

Ulv Galiciefarer was a warrior chieftain and the great-grandfather of Valdemar the Great

Bjarne Henning Nielsen, an archaeologist based in northern Jutland, believes that he may have found the tomb of the famous Viking chief Ulv Galiciefarer, the great-grandfather of Valdemar the Great, who was king of Denmark from 1157-1182.

“It’s just a theory, an idea, but somebody has to say it first,” Nielsen told Videnskab.

Galiciefarer, who became famous raiding, looting and pillaging in Galicia in northern Spain in the early 11th century, has been referred to in written literature as an “earl of Denmark”. That citation leads Nielsen to believe the tomb he has been exploring since 2009 could be that of the ‘Wolf’.

A royal funeral
An earl was an important official who, in the king’s absence, controlled a region or even an entire country. Such a person would probably have earned a princely funeral.

Nielsen, who is curator at Vesthimmerlands Museum, has examined the graves of a number of other Danes of noble birth over the years and found similarities in the burial methods that lead him to believe that the tomb he is working on now is one of an important person.

Plenty of clues
The large tomb is surrounded by a dark ‘square’ in the ground – possibly the remains of a building that covered the burial site, which is consistent with other noble tombs from in and around the time period and the area it was found. A sword found with the knight buried in the tomb revealed that he lived and died during the first half of the 1000s.

The area in and around Næsby in Jutland where the tomb is located is thought to have been part of Valdemar the Great’s ancestral heritage that was handed down to him from antiquity.

“It is private property he inherited from his father’s side, and Galiciefarer is part of the lineage,” said Nielsen.

“There is of course not a note in the grave saying ‘Here lies Ulv’, but the time and place fit and the burial is consistent with that of someone the king would want to honour.”

No way to know for sure
Nielsen conceded that his theory may be nothing more than a hopeful guess.

“All we can do today is speculate, but someone wanted to honour the great hero who lies there, whose name we unfortunately may never know,” he said.




  • Danish Intelligence Service: Threat from Russia has intensified

    Danish Intelligence Service: Threat from Russia has intensified

    In the internal Danish waters, Russia will be able to attack underwater infrastructure from all types of vessels. The target could be cables with data, electricity and gas, assesses the Danish Defense Intelligence Service

  • Denmark to explore screening citizenship applicants for anti-democratic sentiments

    Denmark to explore screening citizenship applicants for anti-democratic sentiments

    A few weeks after Alex Vanopslagh’s comments about “right values,” the government announced that an expert committee would be established to examine the feasibility of screening citizenship applicants for anti-democratic attitudes.

  • The Future Copenhagen

    The Future Copenhagen

    The municipality plan encompasses building 40,000 houses by 2036 in order to help drive real estate prices down. But this is not the only huge project that will change the shape of the city: Lynetteholmen, M5 metro line, the Eastern Ring Road, and Jernbanebyen will transform Copenhagen into something different from what we know today

  • It’s not you: winter depression is affecting many people

    It’s not you: winter depression is affecting many people

    Many people in Denmark are facing hard times marked by sadness, anxiety, and apathy. It’s called winter depression, and it’s a widespread phenomenon during the cold months in Nordic countries.

  • Crime rates are rising, but people are safer

    Crime rates are rising, but people are safer

    Crime in Denmark is increasing for the second consecutive year, but it is more focused on property, while people appear to be safer than before. Over the past year, there were fewer incidents of violence

  • Novo Nordisk invests 8.5 billion DKK in new Odense facility

    Novo Nordisk invests 8.5 billion DKK in new Odense facility

    Despite Novo’s announcement that its growth abroad will be larger than in Denmark, the company announced this morning an 8.5 billion DKK investment for a new facility in Odense. This is the first time the company has established a new production site in Denmark this century.