| Official Name: | Sollerön |
| Pushpin Map: | Sweden Dalarna#Sweden |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Sweden |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Mora Municipality |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Dalarna County |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Dalarna |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 2.50 |
| Population As Of: | 31 December 2010 |
| Population Total: | 901 |
| Population Density Km2: | 360 |
| Timezone: | CET |
| Utc Offset: | +1 |
| Timezone Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +2 |
| Coordinates: | 60.9161°N 14.6161°W |
Sollerön (in Swedish pronounced as /ˈsɔ̂lːɛrˌøːn/)[2] is the largest island in Lake Siljan and a locality situated in Mora Municipality, Dalarna County, Sweden. It had 901 inhabitants in 2010.
The island is home to several notable archaeological and historical sites, including Dalarna's largest Viking-era grave fields, a historic church, restored 18th-19th century farmhouses, the Viking museum has now closed.[3] [4]
In the northern part of Sollerön, there are two large grave fields from the end of the Viking Age: one major at Bengtsarvet-Häradsarvet-Rothagen and one smaller at Utanmyra. Large Viking age graves have also been found elsewhere in Dalarna, such as in Orsa and on Tunaslätten, but the Sollerön grave site is the largest known site of its kind in Dalarna. Together, the grave sites contain up to as many as 100-150 graves. Eighteen of the graves have been excavated, 11 of which have been investigated.[4]
Sollerögravarna, as the Viking grave area is known in Swedish, is thought to be so well preserved due to it being constructed of stone, rather than only soil. The grave fields consist mainly of the sparsely-placed smoke and piles with a diameter of 6–15 meters. Not all of the mounds are tombs, as many of the rocky areas are also the result of land clearing by farmers over a period of centuries.[4]
In fact, for a long time, it was believed that the mounds of Sollerön were merely remnants from the crops of farmers. However, in 1921 a discovery showed that the mounds concealed graves. The villagers also noted previous findings of "iron scraps" from the village of Utanmyra.[4]
Only when villagers discovered additional graves in 1928, did they begin to realize that the entire area was actually a series of grave fields. Excavations of these fields took place in 1928-29 and also in 1934. Eleven grave sites were examined. In each of these graves, the bodies had been cremated before burial, and coal remnants along with burned bones were discovered in the burial mounds.
Many other artifacts have also been found in the mounds. These include like arrows, glass beads, bronze rings and horse equipment. The objects show similarities to those found in Viking graves around Scandinavia, for example in Mälardalen, Jämtland and Tröndelag.[4]
"Sol" is the Swedish word for "sun,"[5] and "ön" means "the island (of)" in Swedish.[6] Due to its name and the large amount of ancient burial mounds found on the island, historians have speculated that the island may have been a place for sun worship.
Soldmål is a dialect spoken by inhabitants of the island.[7]
Sollerön is home to the following villages: