Historical Overview of Gotland

This guide offers a quick overview of Gotland’s history while also linking to the largest collection of materials about Gotland's history online.

Introduction

Anyone interested in Swedish history will frequently encounter Gotland. While this is often amusing for the people of Gotland, some might feel it’s too much. However, there’s no avoiding it, as Gotland is incredibly rich in ancient finds.

As we move into recorded history, Gotland's significance grows. It has its own saga, Sweden's first law book Gutalagen, nearly 100 medieval stone churches still standing, and a well-preserved medieval city with an intact city wall and numerous ruins.

Gotland's rich history has inspired a vast collection of literature, from historical overviews dating back to the 16th century to in-depth research on even the smallest details.

Gotland in the Stone Age (until 1600 BCE)

We don’t know when the first person arrived in Gotland, nor where they came from. Schoolbook history often portrays this figure as a fur-clad savage from Denmark, who eventually paddled to Gotland from Sweden after a journey through Skåne. This story is uncertain, as it’s equally plausible that they came from Germany.

However, we do know that Stora Karlsö contains one of the oldest burial sites from the Stone Age in Sweden. The graves at Västerbjärs in Gothem, among the richest of their time, included pearls from the Mediterranean. Stone Age artifacts on Gotland, from pottery fragments to other relics, are found in great abundance.

Gotland in the Bronze Age (1600 BCE – 500 BCE)

During this period, major developments occurred. Many of the large stone cairns and hundreds of ship settings on Gotland date back to the Bronze Age. These ship settings, believed to be unique burial traditions of Gotland (or gutnish people), have also been found in the Baltics, likely built by the same community.

Historians used to believe that Gotland received most of its development influences, like bronze and iron, from mainland Sweden. However, recent research suggests the opposite: Gotlanders were the ones who introduced these advancements to the mainland. They were already familiar with iron during the late Bronze Age.

Gotland and Skåne are the richest areas in Sweden for Bronze Age finds.

Gotland in the Iron Age (500 BCE – 1050 CE)

The discovery of the oldest iron furnaces on Gotland is notable. Some investigations suggest the iron came from Svealand, leading many writers to speculate about Svealand's control over iron trade, even during the Roman era. In truth, the iron arrived on Gotland via the glaciers, allowing Gotlanders to collect iron-rich stones directly from the ground—something they can still do today.

Central Governance

It’s during the Iron Age, centuries after the birth of Christ, that we begin to see signs of a central governance structure on Gotland. For example, the Torsburgen fortress was not built by local farmers in Kräklingbo alone. Gotland’s contacts with the continent were extensive, as seen in the fact that around 80% of all Roman silver coins found in Sweden come from Gotland.

Abandoned Houses/Settlement Foundations

The many abandoned houses and farms, known as Kämpgravar (warrior graves), of which there are nearly 2,000 known sites (likely more), began appearing centuries before Christ and may be linked to iron production.

Runestones

One of the most fascinating aspects of Gotland’s history is its runes. The world’s oldest runes, and even the oldest runic alphabet, come from Gotland. The runic alphabet found on the Kylver Stone is considered a sign of a highly developed culture, indicating that the people had a written language. Gotlanders used runes for over 1,200 years, from the 3rd century to the 17th century.

Gotland's Viking Age (790 CE – 1100 CE)

The Viking Age, marking the final centuries of the Iron Age, gave way to the Middle Ages.

Silver Hoards

During this time, Gotland surpassed every other region in Sweden in wealth. Around 80% of all Viking-age silver hoards found in the Nordic countries were discovered on Gotland. The island’s wealth during this period was so vast it seems almost unreal. Gotland was easily the richest land in the Nordic region. During this period, churches began to be built—not the stone churches we see today, but wooden stave churches.

Gotland in the Middle Ages (1100 CE – 1500 CE)

The Middle Ages began with the spread of Christianity, and it ended with the Reformation, when religious teachings changed. Christianity itself wasn’t the most significant change; rather, the Catholic Church’s systems enabled centralized rule over large territories. This type of governance eventually spread to mainland Sweden, but it wasn’t relevant to Gotland, which was already politically united.

For instance, Gotlanders didn’t pay the bishop's tithe, and as Gutalagen indicates, the Christian customs were adopted voluntarily by Gotlanders who had seen them in other Christian countries. Gotlanders saw value in Christian customs, but not in uniting the country under the church's authority.

Christian Conversion Decision

The decision that made Gotland officially Christian likely occurred before 1100. However, it’s unclear exactly when Gotland decided to adopt Christianity as the state religion. Gutalagen states that after adopting Christianity, Gotlanders reached out to the nearest bishop, who happened to be in Linköping (though there was no bishop in Linköping before the 12th century).

Visby

Visby grew significantly in the late 12th and 13th centuries, largely due to its role as a trading hub, though it had been a marketplace long before the Middle Ages. Despite various claims about Visby’s German character and military significance, it was governed like any other Swedish town—with the help of Germans.

Though the town and rural Gotlanders didn’t always see eye to eye, it’s clear that Visby’s success was largely dependent on privileges negotiated by Gotlanders with other nations. The 17th century saw Sweden taking over, changing Gotland's status as part of Sweden—a challenge the island has faced ever since.