revolution. The Single Grave Culture period gets its name from the thousands of single graves constructed in low mounds, also known as barrows. The Single Grave Culture belongs to the Corded Ware cultures [...] The Single Grave Culture Towards the end of the Stone Age changes began to occur. Farming became more extensive, with greater emphasis on cattle-breeding and the cultivation of barley as the main [...] equipment. This cultural uniformity reflected shared occupational, social and religious characteristics. Pottery vessel decorated with cord impressions from a grave at Ny Ågård, Thyregod, central Jutland.
The megalithic tombs of the Stone Age In the open, cultivated countryside, the farmers of the Stone Age built barrows or burial mounds. In the oldest barrows the burial chambers were built of wood. Later the chambers were constructed of large granite blocks. The burial mounds were monuments to ancestors and they were built in their thousands. They testify to great engineering skills, and it took [...] Watercolours by J. Kornerup, A.P. Madsen and Rondahl of dolmens and passage graves in Denmark. The passage grave Kong Svendshøj on Lolland, after restoration in 1991. The chamber of the passage grave Svinø
A small family? There were several burials in the large barrow from Borum Eshøj, but the three oak-coffin graves were probably the original ‘occupants’ of the barrow. From dendrochronological analyses of the oak wood used for the coffins it can be established that the wood for at least two of the three coffins – and perhaps all three – was felled in 1351 BC. All three coffins were probably buried [...] great consideration. It was done carefully and they were given impressive grave goods. The Borum Eshøj graves are the largest single find of this kind from Denmark. Watercolours and drawings of the three
Stone-packing graves Some of the most mysterious graves of prehistory are the so-called ‘stone-packing graves’ from the Neolithic period, constructed between 3100-2800 BC. These consist of depressions packed with stones (thus the name), located beside a small ‘mortuary house’. The structures are covered by a layer of stones. The ‘graves’ are often placed beside one another or in long rows. A [...] Jutland, the stone-packing graves were placed in long, parallel rows.
The Egtved Girl’s grave When the Egtved Girl’s barrow was excavated in 1921, it was only a shadow of its former self. Earth and materials had been removed from it. Nevertheless there was a well-preserved grave in the eastern part of the mound. The Egtved Girl lay in an oak coffin. This was a hollowed-out, stripped oak trunk. One half functioned as a coffin and the other as its lid. Everything lay in the coffin as it had done at the burial almost 3500 years ago. Before the Egtved Girl was laid in the coffin it had been lined with a cow skin. She was carefully laid with her grave goods on the soft skin.
The family in Borum Eshøj The large barrow Borum Eshøj near Århus lay on a hill with a wide view. In 1871 parts of the mound were being removed and the first grave was found. In it lay the body of an elderly woman. During a more extensive excavation in 1875 two coffins were found containing the remains of two men. One of these was old and the other was a young man. The mound was probably raised over the coffin of the old man, who lay at its centre. The other two graves were added later. The oak trees of which the coffins were made were felled around 1350 BC. The excavation of Borum Eshøj. Watercolour
A folding chair from the Bronze Age The large barrow from the Bronze Age with the promising name of Guldhøj (Gold Hill) in Southern Jutland was excavated in 1891. Among the objects in the barrow were an oak coffin containing the body of a man. At his feet lay a very unusual object – a folding chair! The fine little chair, which was very well preserved, was made of ash wood with carved patterns [...] the folding chair, the grave contained two wooden vessels, a bark bucket, a bronze axe, a bronze brooch and a bronze dagger in a scabbard made of wood.
Margrethe 2., i anledning af 80-års fødselsdagen den 16. april 2020: 15-43. Kaul, F. (2020) Middle Bronze Age Long Distance Exchange through Europe and Beyond. In: Ivantchik, A. and Mordvintseva, V. I. [...] of Archaeology , https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/114995/165533 Varberg, J.; Kaul, F. and Gratuze, B. (2019). Bronze Age Glass and Amber. Evidence of Bronze Age long distance exchange. Adoranten 2019: 5-29. [...] Umgebung. 30/2017 (2018): 70-81. Kaul, F. (2018) Middle Bronze Age Long Distance Exchange. Early Glass, Amber and Guest-Friendship, Xenia . In: Nessel, B., Neumann, D. and Bartelheim, M. (eds.),
of 25.5 cm, is the second largest in Denmark, only outshined by the belt plate from Langstrup. Together with the belt plate from Langstrup, a long knife and two spiral armrings were found (by Aver & [...] The woman and the belt plate The time around and after 1400 BCE was a good time in the North, and this was manifested through very rich equipment in the graves, such as bronze and gold. While a man's [...] graves we find jewellery and belt plates together with a dagger with an ornate handle (which otherwise belongs to the man's equipment). This could point toward the woman with executive power and status.
The roads of the dead As a rule the stone-packing graves are characteristically aligned in rows. Rows of up to 1700 metres, though interrupted at certain points, are known. The long rows of stone-packing graves were presumably placed along old trackways. This was suspected at Engedal, west of Viborg, where the archaeologists found Denmark’s oldest wheel tracks close to stone-packing graves. Perhaps it was important for Neolithic people to place the graves along a trackway to mark out the journey to the kingdom of the dead? These rows of graves are from Herrup in western Jutland. Solid disc
