Here is the burial mound known as Rundehogjen, dating from the last part of the 9th century. Within it the remains of a burnt Viking ship were discovered. Ship burials from the 9th century are considered to be royal burials. The buried king must have been king Audbjørn, king of Firda County. He fell in battle at Nordmøre against King Harald Fairhair. Harald Fairhair later unified Norway and became the first king of Norway.
Along with the remains of the deceased, who was in his fifties, tools, costly items, weapons, dogs and horses were found, all of which the king would bring with him into the next life. A large mound was created covering the charcoal layer. Due to the extent of the layer the Myklebust ship must have been close to 30 m long, making it one of the largest Viking ships ever found. The burial mound was excavated in 1874 and restored shortly after.
Among the rare and costly artefacts found with the king was a large enamelled bronze vessel. The vessel had been placed in the charcoal layer after the ship had been burnt. The vessel was made in Ireland, or possibly in an Irish monastery or workshop in England. Most likely it had been brought back to Nordfjordeid after a Viking raid. Similar vessels have been found in Anglo-Saxon graves in England.
Fierce disputes over political power were common during the Viking Age. The many Chiefs in inner Nordfjord had been fighting for power and territory since the early Iron Age. Eventually, during the latter part of the Iron Age a small kingdom was established at Eid.
King Audbjorn and his family lived on the Myklebust farm. Rundehogjen was one of five large burial mounds on the farm. Large burial mounds were a symbol of political power at the time. The king’s farm or «seat» would be close to the burial mounds.
After the Viking era, churches became an important symbol of power and in the early Christian time, the first church was erected at the Myklebust farm.