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A huge deposit in the form of a weapons s acrifice, plus a collection of other riches, was unearthed in Denmark during exploratory excavations connected to an infrastructure project near the village of Hedensted.
Dated to the Iron Age, or to roughly 1,500 years ago, the cache included more than 100 weapons in total, big enough to equip a small army. This included dozens of lances, spears, swords and knives along with a set of rare chainmail armor, all of which were recovered from underneath an Iron Age chieftain’s house. The archaeologists also found the remains of tow bronze neck rings called oath rings, which were symbols of power during this period in Danish history.
Exceptionally well-preserved chainmail armor found at the Løsning Søndermark excavation site. (Vejle Museums)
An Extraordinary Cache: Beyond Archaeology’s Wildest Dreams
The cache was found during digs undertaken in anticipation of a highway expansion initiative earlier this year at a site called Løsning Søndermark. Two early fifth-century houses, belonging to either a chieftain or an influential warrior, were unearthed, and it was the individual who resided in this location who most likely sacrificed the weaponry during a period of post-war euphoria, the Danish archaeologists believe. In total, the cache was comprised of 119 lances and spears, eight swords, five knives, three arrowheads, one axe, a bugle, a bridle, and a rare set of chainmail, the latter representing the most exciting find.
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Excavation leader Elias Witte Thomasen works to unearth parts of the ancient weapons cache found during the highly construction project. (Vejle Museums)
Chainmail is a type of armor made from small metal rings that are intricately woven together in a pattern to form a protective mesh. Considered lightweight but effective, it was first used in the third centiry BC in Europe, and was known to have been worn in battle as late as the 16th century.
So rare is the chainmail, that it’s one of a handful ever found in southern Scandinavia from this time period, and the first to ever be recovered from a settlement site, rather than a burial or a wetland. It was likely the chief’s, as it was both expensive and time consuming to produce.
“From the very first surveys, we knew this was going to be extraordinary, but the excavation has exceeded all our expectations. The sheer number of weapons is astonishing, but what fascinates me most is the glimpse they provide into the societal structure and daily life of the Iron Age. We suddenly feel very close to the people who lived here 1,500 years ago,” Elias Witte Thomasen, an archaeologist from Denmark’s Vejle Museums who led the excavation project, said in a press release.
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Most people in ancient Denmark, which was part of greater Germania between the first and fourth centuries AD, located on the periphery of the Roman Empire, were settled agriculturists. Though it’s well documented what the Romans really thought about ‘barbaric’ tribes and ‘barbarians,’ in all likelihood it was the Romans that provided the tribes in Denmark with weaponry, as a way to buy peace.
Some fragments from lances and spears recovered during the Løsning Søndermark excavations. (Vejle Museums)
The site is nothing short of a ‘significant’ settlement,’ its discoverers say, with several layers rich in animal bones, ceramics, production debris, and personal items. Interestingly, they believe the huge cache of weapons likely served as part of a ritual sacrifice: one of the weapons was intentionally deposited in post holes after being dismantled, while one of the two buildings contained many weapons that were apparently deposited there during the time of construction. It seems the residents of the community, and the chieftain in particular, was seeking the blessings of a deity that was linked to warfare.
A Chieftain’s Sacrifice: Analyzing Material Evidence
“The character of the deposits suggests the weapons are remnants of ceremonies or sacrificial acts linked to a chieftain’s residence. This is not the remains of a weapons workshop, barracks, or similar activities,” the archaeologists disclosed in their press release.
The archaeologists remains unsure whether the items belonged to local warriors, or were ‘amassed as the spoils of war,’ reports Live Science. Just three years ago, an Iron Age hoard from a local chieftain was found in the town of Vindelev, very close to Løsning. It is entirely possible that there were numerous chieftains who had established a presence in the area in the early first millennium. What is clear is, by the 400s, the settlement commanded enough influence to gather warriors around it, who’ve left behind tangible evidence of the military campaigns they carried out.
The aforementioned bronze ring fragments were bracteates, or bronze medallions worn around the neck, symbolizing an allegiance to a political or religious figurehead. Incidentally, they were etched with a very similar design as was found at the site, suggesting they were worn by those who’d sworn an oath of fealty to the chieftain whose homes were unearthed.
Fragment of oath ring, a symbol of power in Iron Age European cultures. (Vejle Museums)
The press release revealed that the Vejle Museums will be publishing information about everything discovered during the highway project excavations soon. They are looking to have the physical finds ready for display at the Vejle Cultural Museum by early 2025.
Top image: Aerial view of the Løsning Søndermark excavation site along a busy Danish motorway. Source: Vejle Museums.
By Sahir Pandey
References
Killgrove, K. 2024. 1,500-year-old riches and more than 100 weapons found under Iron Age chieftain’s house. Available at: https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/1-500-year-old-riches-and-more-than-100-weapons-found-under-iron-age-chieftains-house.
Schultz, I. 2024. Archaeologists Discover Enormous Iron Age ‘Weapon Sacrifice’ Near Danish Motorway. Available at: https://gizmodo.com/archaeologists-discover-enormous-iron-age-weapon-sacrifice-near-danish-motorway-2000532752.
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Source: www.ancient-origins.net