Hobbyist studying old map notices odd mark that leads to medieval find in Sweden
Göran Bengtsson, a hobby archaeologist, was studying an 18th-century map of southwestern Sweden when he noticed something unusual.
A rectangle and the word “Klosterkullen,” which translates to “monastery hill,” was drawn in an area that today is an empty field in Derome, according to a May 13 news release from the Swedish archaeology service Arkeologerna.
On a dry summer day, Bengtsson scanned the area using a drone and metal detector. He found clear traces or crop marks in the ground — evidence of a buried structure, experts said.
Bengtsson enlisted the help of professional archaeologist Bengt Westergaard at Arkeologerna.
Ground-penetrating radar confirmed the presence of 6.5-feet-thick walls, pillar foundations and other building parts.
Bengtsson had discovered a medieval monastery likely dating back to the late 12th century, according to the release.
Experts said this may have been the east wing of the unfinished Cistercian monastery of Ås, the release said.
A letter from a meeting in 1243 shows the then-abbot, or head of the monastery, applied to have it moved. The site was relocated some time during the 13th century, according to experts.
Westergaard said in his 40 years as an archaeologist, he has never seen anything like this, according to the release.
The Order of Cistercians was part of the Roman Catholic monastic order founded in 1098. The group was made up of monks, and eventually, nuns.
Additional ground-penetrating radar scans will be performed to try and locate more of the monastery, experts said. No archaeological excavations have been planned.
Derome is about a 340-mile drive southwest from Stockholm.
Google Translate was used to translate the news release from Arkeologerna.
This story was originally published May 22, 2025 at 1:23 PM with the headline "Hobbyist studying old map notices odd mark that leads to medieval find in Sweden."
