Archaeologists explore Hammershus Castle (Allinge, Dinamarca) (Video)

Archaeologists explore Hammershus Castle (Allinge, Dinamarca).
A team of Polish and Danish archaeologists have discovered over 200 artefacts from the 13-century castle of Hammershus. A cannon ball, crossbow bolts and numerous coins were found on the fortress, which sits the Danish island of Bornholm.

The research was carried out this summer. The team found Swedish coins in the oldest part of the castle, knowm as tinghuset (Judge’’s house). The discovery confirms that the Swedish bishop from Lund had authority over the island at that time and commissioned construction of the castle in order to collect taxes from the inhabitants of Bornholm. Another coin found on the site dates to the time of King Frederick I of Denmark (1523-1533).

Medieval cannoball - photo courtesy University of Warsaw“The artefacts found give us a better understanding of the history of the castle and its inhabitants”, said Marta Bura, an archaeologist from the University of Warsaw and co-leader of the archaeological dig. “A medieval padlock can confirm the thesis that valuables had been stored in the castle. Dice, decorated bone plate and a fragment of a tile stove with an interesting picture of a face, clearly imported from the area of present-day Germany, are undoubtedly a proof of affluence and refined taste off the castle’s inhabitants.”

Furthermore, specialists from the 3D Scanners Laboratory of the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Warsaw scanned sections of the castle walls.

Hammershus is northern Europe’s largest medieval fortification, was built around 1200 in collaboration between King Valdemar II and the Archbishop of Lund. Holding a strategic position at the northern tip of Bornholm, it saw much conflict between Denmark and Sweden during the Middle Ages. The fortress’ walls are over 750-metre-long (2,460 ft).

In 2012, the Polish and Danish archaeologists explored other parts of the island, finding prehistorical rock engravings, remnants of houses from the early Middle Ages, and perfectly preserved tools.