Advertisement

Medieval Danish Queen's cellar is one of 2019’s top ten archaeological finds

Ritzau/The Local
Ritzau/The Local - [email protected]
Medieval Danish Queen's cellar is one of 2019’s top ten archaeological finds
Photo: Slots- og Kulturstyrelsen

The discovery of a cellar in Roskilde believed to have belonged to medieval Danish Queen Margrete I is one of this year's ten most important archaeological finds.

Advertisement

Among other important Danish discoveries this year are an approximately 3,000-year-old sacrificial victim in Thy, a mysterious amber sun disc of amber near Viborg and a Bronze Age burial mound with a crematorium at Bellinge near Odense.

The list was published by the Ministry of Culture’s Agency for Culture and Palaces in a press release.

In Roskilde, medieval archaeologist Jesper Langkilde said he is proud that the cellar is on the annual list.

“It is not commonplace to find such well-preserved ruins from the Middle Ages, and when we can also ascertain that it is very likely that the cellar belonged to Margrete I, that in my brings the discovery into a class of its own,” Langkilde said.

“The fact that the Agency for Culture and Palaces shares that view and has placed the cellar as one of year's top 10 archaeological finds is something I am extremely pleased about,” added Langkilde, who works for the Romu museum group.

The cellar appeared earlier this year amongst remains of masonry, pottery and building materials in Roskilde street Lille Grønnegade.


Photo: ROMU/Slots- og Kulturstyrelsen

It appears to have belonged to Margrete I, who lived from 1353 to 1412 and ruled Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

It is thought to have been part of a house that the Queen ordered built so she could be close to the city’s monastery, Vor Frue Kloster, when she was in Roskilde.

The criteria for being selected on the cultural agency’s list is adding “significant new knowledge of archaeology and Danish history”.

READ ALSO: Stone Age Dane had dark skin and dark hair: DNA study

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also