Jelling before Jelling

Anne Pedersen, Mads Dengsø Jessen, Charlotta Lindblom

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingBook chapterResearchpeer-review

Abstract

In contrast with the scientific studies of the landscape, the historical and archaeological investigations in and around Jelling extend far back in time and have involved some of the ’fathers’ of Danish archaeology. It is apparent from their observations and descriptions of the antiquities of Jelling that there was a notable lack of objects dating to the Iron Age and early historical periods. As modern archaeology has moved from archive studies to field investigations, however, this imbalance has been rectified, and excavations undertaken since the 1980s have provided much new information on the Iron Age and the Viking Age, both at Jelling and in the local surroundings. Archaeological finds dating to the period after the birth of Christ are still rather limited, and the later periods of prehistory are primarily attested by excavated structures, such as buildings, farms and burials. In addition, due to the popularity of the metal detector amongst amateur archaeologists several objects dating to the periods up to and contemporary with the construction of the Viking-Age monuments at Jelling have come to light in recent years. It is therefore possible today to draw a much more comprehensive picture of the settlement at Jelling in the period before the establishment of the monument complex.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationJelling - Monuments and Landscape
EditorsAnne Pedersen, Mads Dengsø Jessen, Mads Kähler Holst
Number of pages30
Place of PublicationOdense
PublisherSyddansk Universitetsforlag
Publication date2024
Pages385-414
Chapter16
ISBN (Print)97888776023812
Publication statusPublished - 2024
SeriesPNM - Publications from the National Museum. Studies in Archaeology and History
Number4, 1
Volume20
ISSN0909-9506
SeriesJellinge Series
Volume4, 1

Cite this