Angrebet på Lethra: Et eksperiment om hvordan rum påvirker kamp

This article is centered around how space affects combat. This is explored through an archaeological combat experiment carried out at a reconstructed palisade in Lejre: Land of Legends in the Easter of 2023. Eight participants, adorning reconstructions of 11th century spears, swords, axes, shields, bows and arrows, divided into two teams fought multiple rounds against each other in a free form combat system, where the entire body was a valid target. Three different tactics developed through these rounds. The first tactic was for the defenders to stand in the open gate, and fight their opposers there. This tactic gave them no advantage. The second tactic was for the defenders to stand close to each side of the palisade, which made it difficult for the attackers to get through the gate, without being struck from the side or in the back. This led to the final tactic, in which the attackers didn’t attempt to go through the gate, but instead tried to fight over the fence or in between the gaps of the palisade. This experiment shows how a battlescape works. The movement and the pace of battle was heavily dictated by where it took place. The participants all tried to get an upper hand as they used their environment in their favor. Natural installations like bushes and trees served an equally big part of the defenses of the town, as the palisade. This way of letting experienced fighters explore the defensive capabilities of a defense work serves as a valuable method of gaining insight into the nature of combat at archaeological and historical sites.