What is Lindholm Høje in Denmark?
Lindholm Høje is a major Viking burial site and former settlement on a hill north of Aalborg, Denmark, overlooking the Limfjord. Archaeologists have opened 589 of its roughly 700 graves.
Questions about Lindholm Høje
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When was Lindholm Høje used as a burial ground?
Lindholm Høje was used across two distinct periods. The higher, northern part dates to the 5th century in the Nordic Iron Age, and the lower, southern part dates from 1000-1050 in the Viking Age.
Why was the settlement at Lindholm Høje abandoned?
The settlement at Lindholm Høje was abandoned around 1200, most likely because sand drifting in from the western coast buried it. That sand drift followed heavy deforestation, which exposed coastal sand to rough westerly winds.
What makes the graves at Lindholm Høje unique?
Most graves at Lindholm Høje are marked with rocks arranged in a triangle or in the outline of a boat, known as a stone ship, and the site holds the largest surviving collection of these stone ship graves anywhere. Some women's graves are instead marked with rocks in a circle or oval.
What objects were found in the graves at Lindholm Høje?
Excavators found glassware, gems, and Arab coins at Lindholm Høje, along with an 11th century silver brooch in the Urnes style. That brooch became the model for bronze copies cast by jewelers in Lund in the early 12th century.
Who built the museum at Lindholm Høje?
The cement company Aalborg Portland A/S paid for the museum beside the burial ground, opening it in 1992 to mark the firm's centennial. The museum was enlarged in 2008 with a new exhibition on the wider prehistory of the Limfjord region.