The dig did not find the man named in the legend.
Myth. A saga written down much later gives this grave the name of Tjelvar.
The grave is on the eastern coast of Gotland, in Sweden. It dates to about 1100 to 500 BC. Stones outline a ship about 18 metres long and 5 metres wide. The side stones get lower toward the middle, and the middle is filled with stones like a deck. In a dig, a stone coffin that had already been robbed held cremated bones and a few pieces of pottery. Many other stone ships in Scandinavia are far later than this one.
Scholars still offer more than one reason why a grave was shaped like a ship.
People told this story.