The previous post highlighted some of the archaeological treasures in the National Museum in Copenhagen, which holds an amazing collection of gold, silver and bronze objects from Denmark’s ancient past. These were just a fraction of the items on display, so here is another selection.
The Egtved Girl – A Sun Maiden
and a modern reconstruction of her garments
Many of the museum’s pieces are archaeologically ‘famous’ – such as the Gunderstrup cauldron and the Trundholm Sun Chariot, and many appear in standard textbooks on Northern European prehistory. Another example is the Egtved Girl burial, found within a Bronze Age burial mound containing an oak tree coffin, inside which were the remains of a teenage girl and her remarkably well preserved clothes. Having her own burial mound suggests that she was someone special, while her sun disk belt and corded skirt link her with images and figures of people who took part in elaborate rituals connected with the sun. She may have been one of the ritual performers who seem to have specialised in feats of agility, balance, and acrobatics, with her style of skirt perhaps assisting in these movements.
A few more gems
And finally we couldn’t leave out this cheeky chap …
The Broddenbjerg Idol – found in a peat bog, but thought to have originally stood in a small shrine on the edge of a wetland area. Next to the figure was an altar like arrangement, along with stones for grinding grain, and food pots, suggesting that this was perhaps a place connected with fertility of the land and people.
