Map of Värmland, 1783

Historical map of Värmland published in 1783 and engraved by Fredrik Akrel (1748-1804). Värmland is bordered to the south by Västergötland and Dalsland, to the west by Østlandet (in Norway), to the east by Västmanland and Närke and to the north-east by Dalarna.

There are human traces in Värmland that are about 9,000 years old. Settlements have been found that were inhabited between 7100 and 6400 BC at Kvarnåsen, Lidsbron and Västanvik. There is also a known remnant of huts from this time, at Södra Ed in Kila parish.

Finds also show traces of human settlements throughout the landscape, from Värmlandsnäs in the south to Långflon in the north, and show that there were contacts with the west coast, Västergötland and Bergslagen.

During the Bronze Age, finds show that settlements were dense, especially in parts of southern Värmlandsnäs and along Glafsfjorden and Frykensjöarna. The foundations of today's landscape were laid mainly during the Late Iron Age, and the history of many of today's farms begins at this time. Today there are about 30 known Iron Age settlements in Värmland.

The custom of burying the dead in burial cairns and stones ceases around the year 400 in Värmland and is replaced by burial in flatland graves. The best example is the burial ground in central Grums. In the transition to the Late Iron Age, the dead began to be buried in burial mounds, and a total of around 130 of these have been investigated in the region. Värmland's ancient castles were also built during the Iron Age; 37 remains in Värmland are counted as such. The only one of these that has been archaeologically investigated is Villkorsberget on Värmlandsnäs.

Source reference: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)