Højstrup-Mark burial ground
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The burial ground of Højstrup-Mark (also called Vikingegravpladsen ved Højstrup, Tommerby Vikingeravplads) is located north of Amtoft Vig, a bay in the Limfjord in Thy in Denmark and is only separated from the Limfjord by the road, the water level of which was higher than today in the Viking Age (due to the land elevation ) and reached to the edge of the burial ground . Højstrup-Mark is a typical North Jutian burial ground of the Vikings , but much smaller than Lindholm Høje .
On the heather there are 37 small burial mounds and two small ship settlements . Partly on the grave mounds, partly between them are 75 building stones up to 1.2 m high . The majority of the burial mounds, a little more than 0.50 m high, are round, but there are also oval and triangular ones. The ship's settlement can still be seen, although some stones have been removed. Some rows of building stones can be remnants of ship settlements or other stone settlements that are no longer recognizable . But individual building blocks were also erected. These do not stand as a border around the graves, but are part of the grave cult. Thus, covered by a hill, six building stones were found in a row above a grave.
Part of the facility was examined by C. Engelhardt in 1881. The graves have different forms of burial. In some cases, cremation graves were found in which the bones were scattered in a layer of coal and stone, and in some cases the dead were buried in a coffin or similar container with their heads facing west. A woman's skeleton was found in a grave in a carriage with grave goods , i.e. buried according to pagan custom. The accessories include an iron knife with a silver band around the handle, four glass beads as well as parts of a bronze band and a few pieces of sheet gold. The finds are kept in the National Museum in Copenhagen .
In ancient times, many stones were removed from the grave and smashed into gravel. Based on the investigation, it can be assumed that around 125 building stones were originally erected on the grave field. In order to avoid further destruction, the complex was placed under monument protection in 1881.
literature
- Oscar Marseen: Lindholm Høje. Description of Udgravninger and Fund . 3. Edition. Aalborg Historiske Museum, Aalborg 1982 (Danish, with German, English and French summary).
- Karsten Kjer Michaelsen: Politics bog om Danmarks oldtid . Copenhagen 2002 ISBN 87-567-6458-8 , pp. 86-87.
Web links
Coordinates: 57 ° 3 '13.3 " N , 9 ° 0' 3.7" E