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News
Rare Viking-era shield found in Denmark (September 17th 2008)
Danish archaeologists from the Kings Fortresses Project have found a well-preserved Viking shield that is dated to the late 900 years, when Harold Bluetooth ruled the country.
Archaeologist Kirsten Christensen says the wooden shield has a diameter of 32 inches. It was found Tuesday during excavations near a Viking-age castle Trelleborg nearby Slagelse, some 60 miles west of Copenhagen.
Christensen said Thursday it is the first time such a shield has been found in Denmark. She said the moist soil in the area is "ideal to preserve wood."
The fir shield is believed to date from the late 10th century and incarved ornaments and traces of paint can reveal detailed and seldom new insight in the shield style of the Viking Age.
The shield may have been from one of the many conflicts that dominated the country in the battle for power in the Danish Viking-era.
More details about the rare find to be published on this homepage in near future.
Photo: Morten Pedersen, Sydvestsjællands Museum |
Photo: Morten Pedersen, Sydvestsjællands Museum |
Photo: Morten Pedersen, Sydvestsjællands Museum |
Photo: Morten Pedersen, Sydvestsjællands Museum |
May 5th the King’s Fortresses Project resumed the excavations in the area surrounding Fyrkat.
The excavations this summer will focus on further investigations into the discovered canal on the southern side of the fortress. A row of posts leading into the wetland, dating from the Viking Age and thus contemporary with the fortress, could be the remnants of some sort of pathway across the meadow.
In July the archaeological investigations of Trelleborg will commence.
Datings from the 10th century
A survey of our trial trenches through the wetland areas around Fyrkat (in red). The possible canal/ditch is indicated in blue.
Oak wood sample. |
The project has submitted a total of five samples of oak wood from the Fyrkat fortress to the laboratory in order to establish the age of the wood and whether it was contemporary with the fortress or origins from later building activity at the location. It turns out that all samples date from the 10th century and consequently are within the setting of the short construction and function period of the fortress.
Canal revealed in the wetlands near Fyrkat
The picture shows the exact position of a ditch in the landscape. It runs straight east from the area south of the Fyrkat fortress, which confirms the suspicion that it was indeed dug by humans. Thus it seems that we are dealing with some sort of drainage or canal. C-14 datings of wood from the ditch gives a dating from the 10th century. However, this does not necessarily indicate when it was dug, and we are unable to establish the use of the ditch. Further investigations will focus on obtaining an answer to this question.
 14C results of wooden samples by AMS 14C Dating Centre at Aarhus Universitet.
Latest revision: September 18th 2008
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