Aggersborg

Aggersborg is the largest of Denmark's former Viking ring fortress, and one of the largest archaeological sites in Denmark.^[1] It is located near Aggersund on the north side of the Limfjord. It consists of a circular rampart surrounded by a ditch. Four main roads arranged in a cross connects the fortress center with the rampart's outer ring. The roads were tunneled under the outer rampart, leaving the circular structure intact.

The location was originally the site of an

Many archaeological excavations have been conducted on the site, revealing its original structure and design. These excavations also uncovered a large number of artefacts from the Iron Age and Viking Age.^[2] The surface of the site as it exists today is a reconstruction.

History

Dating the structure has proven difficult, because it was the site of an

The structure of the ring fortress was completed within one or two years, and only used for a short period of time; between five and twenty years. The ring fortress had an inner diameter of 240 metres. The ditch was located eight metres outside of the rampart, and was approximately 1.3 metres deep. The wall is believed to have been four metres tall. The rampart was constructed of soil and turf, reinforced and clad with oak wood. The rampart formed the basis for a wooden parapet. Smaller streets were located within the four main sections of the fortress. Today, the fortress is approximately 10 meters above sea-level, and 350 meters from the coastline.^[2] It is believed the coastline and sea-level at the site had changed over time, as the strait was once much wider, reaching closer to the fortress itself.^[3][4] The modern Aggersborg is a reconstruction created in the 1990s. It is lower than the original fortress.^{[citation needed]}

Archaeological remains

Several archaeological excavations have been carried out at the site since the 20th century. The National Museum of Denmark conducted significant excavations of the site between 1945 and 1954. In 1970 and again in 1990, additional trenches were studied. Together, these excavations recovered more than 30,000 artefacts and many animal remains. They covered approximately 13,000 m² of the site's total area and recorded some 19,500 individual features.^[2] The large number of archaeological finds discovered on the site include many imported luxury items. Examples include beads of mountain crystal and pieces of glass jars. A damaged golden ring has been discovered on the site as well; a replica is displayed in the Aggersborg museum.

Excavations have also uncovered artefacts from the Iron Age village which predated the ring fortress at the site. These artefacts include a variety of common household objects: pottery, iron tools and weapons, jewellery, and coins. Very few traces of specialised craft were uncovered, e.g. evidence of metalworking or refuse from bone-working. These artefacts also included a number of objects of import, primarily from Norway, but also western Europe and the British Isles. Based on these objects, the village was likely settled in the late 8th century and demolished during the 10th century. After the fortress which replaced it was abandoned, the village was not resettled, though artefacts from the period which immediately followed have been found in areas near the site.^[2]

The site's ring fortress structure is typified by its earthen

• 
  Golden armband found near Aggersborg.
• 
  Panorama of the existing site.

References

• "Aggersborg vikingeborg og -boplads". Danish Nature Agency (in Danish). 23 February 2006. Archived from the original on 26 October 2007.
• Malchau, Ole (30 September 2001). "Ringeborge". Ole Malchau (in Danish). Archived from the original on 3 March 2006.
• "Vikingetiden". Bremdal lokalhistorie (in Danish).
• Elberling, E. (1904). "Agersborg". Nordisk Familjebog: Konversationslexikon och Realencyklopedi (in Swedish). Vol. I:A–Armati. Stockholm: Iduns Kunglig Hofboktryckeri. p. 342 – via Project Runeberg.

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