Kivik Tomb (Kungagraven)

Kivik's Bronze Age burial cairn is the largest of its kind in Sweden — about 75 metres across and built around 1000 BC. From the outside it looks like a vast pile of stones in a field; what makes it special is the inner chamber, with eight carved stone slabs depicting some of the most enigmatic ancient art in Scandinavia.

A visitor centre next to the cairn explains the site, the excavation, and the carvings — replicas are displayed, since the originals are too fragile to be seen up close. You can walk inside the cairn (in summer) to see the modern reconstruction of the chamber. Kivik itself is a small fishing village best known for its apple orchards; the cider and juice are excellent.

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A story
When workmen quarried stone from the cairn in 1748 they uncovered a slab-lined burial chamber decorated with carved scenes — chariots, ships, dancers, figures with raised arms. The carvings, around 3,200 years old, are unique in Scandinavia and resemble depictions from much further south. They are some of the oldest figurative art in Sweden.