It ’s been 60 class since a viking fortress was discovered , lead historiographer to acquire that we ’d reveal everything there is to uncover . But this weekend , Danish and English archaeologistsannounced they ’ve unearthed grounds of a young fortressthat ’s been try after for years — and they used some passably coolheaded tech to do it .
The fort sits about 40 mile south of Copenhagen , at a degree where researchers had believe a fort might lie down . But until archaeologist turned to new method offer by archaeological geophysical science , they establish nothing . Thanks to help from University of York researcher namedHelen Goodchild , the team was able to light upon grounds of a huge , rotary fort with four openings , each enclose by wooden gates that were eventually burned down — presumably during battle . you could see the archaeologist vex with the corpse of the posts here :
So how did the squad hear the site?According to Aarhus University , Goodchild used a technique called gradiometry , which involves taking measurements of the Earth ’s magnetic field of study find in the land at the internet site . By comparing mutant from location to location , they were capable to notice where humans had altered the dry land — and begin excavation , as professor Søren Sindbækexplained :
By measuring minor magnetic declination in the ground ’s magnetism we can identify old pits or features without destroying anything . In this way we reach an astonishingly elaborate ‘ ghost epitome ’ of the fortress in a few daylight . Then we cognise incisively where we had to put in mining oceanic abyss to get as much information as potential about the orphic fortress .
Here ’s what the imaging proficiency turned up , helping the squad figure out exactly where to begin in reality change the demesne :
The ring itself was almost 500 pes spacious , and indoors , longhouses would ’ve attend as dwellings . It would ’ve looked a luck like Trelleborg , another ringed fort from the same menstruation that sits 40 mil east of the new find :
Image : Jørgen Falck
The researchers are still waiting to get lab results back on an psychoanalysis of the burned gate post for an accurate dating of the fortress , but they speculate that it may date back to King Harald Bluetooth — or the son who deposed him , Sweyn Forkbeard , who ruled at the turn of the first millennia . Forkbeard would go on to become the King of England after invading London in 1013 .
agree toThe Telegraph , this fort may have been the one used to actually found Forkbeard ’s net attack on England . We ’ll cognize more soon , and have reach out to the squad for more information on the tools used in the discovery . [ Aarhus University ]
ArchaeologyVikings
Daily Newsletter
Get the best technical school , science , and culture word in your inbox daily .
News from the future , deliver to your present tense .
You May Also Like
