On a massive moraine at the inner end of Trondheim fjord in Central
Norway we find the two farms Egge and Hegge. They are situated on a
ridge that gives them optimal possibility for control of both the
surrounding land and sea areas. There have been settlements on the
fields of these two farms for the past 3-4000 years. In fact, the
first Stone Age settlement discovered in Norway was found here. Egge
and Hegge are, however, best known for their substantial burial
grounds from the Iron and Viking Ages, which unfortunately are
dramatically reduced today. Fortunately, Egge has always attracted
attention since the farm is mentioned in the sagas and, consequently,
documentary work such as survey and excavation was initiated as early
as 200 years ago and resumed several times throughout the
years. Initially the area included some 75 burial sites, of which only
about 30 are preserved today.
The sites on the top of the ridge form groups of two concentrations of
mounds from the late Iron and Viking Ages and one of stone covered
burial circles from the early Iron Age. One last group of sites from
the late Iron and Viking Ages, which is represented by mounds and
various stone formations, is located partly on top of the ridge and
partly on the field below near the shoreline of the time.
From being a major farm already in the very late Iron Age, Egge
represents one of the most prominent chieftain farms of the Viking Age
in Central Norway. Egge is mentioned in the sagas more frequently than
most recognizable farms in the tales of the Viking Age.
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