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Archaeology with metal detectors and digging machines

Our knowledge about the Iron Age settlement at Gudme has been pieced together after a couple of hundred years of archaeological research. The first finds of treasure were made in the 1800s and they stood out at the time as being unusually splendid. In the last 25 years amateur archaeologists using metal detectors have also recovered quantities of new finds from the Gudme area. In some cases it has also been possible to open up large areas with digging machines and carry out proper excavations. This was the case when the GOG handball club built a new sports hall in the middle of Gudme. Archaeological excavations revealed that the people of the Iron Age also chose to build their halls here!

Archaeology with metal detectors and digging machines
Aerial photograph of the excavation at the Gudme Halls in the spring of 1993 - the post holes from the two Iron Age halls are marked white. The length of the large hall is 47 metres.
Archaeology with metal detectors and digging machines
During recent excavations in Gudme digging machines were used to remove the the top soil in thin layers. In between each dig the surface of the ground was surveyed by metal detectors in order to locate artefacts.
Archaeology with metal detectors and digging machines
The archaeologists can establish a fairly accurate picture of the spatial and chronological distribution of the settlement by mapping and registering the many thousands of artefacts found by metal detector in the Gudme area.