Nordjyske Museer archaeologists discovered the remains of an ancient Viking-age structure close to Hune, Denmark.
Remains of the Viking Hall, located near Hune in Denmark. Image credit: Nordjyske Museer.
This newly discovered Viking hall measured 40m (131ft) in length and was 8-10m (26-33ft) wide.
Ten to twelve oak posts supported the roof of this building. They were rectangular in shape and could be measured to 50 x 90 cm (20 – 35 inches).
This is the biggest Viking Age discovery of its kind in over 10 years. We have never seen anything similar here in North Jutland before, even though we only partially excavated it,” stated Dr. Thomas Rune Knudsen (an archaeologist at Nordjyske Museum).
It’s more than a house that is slightly bigger than the average. The hall was a highly regarded building, which in addition to being a place where people gather, probably served as a meeting spot for large Viking guilds and political meetings.
The long hall’s design is similar to Harald Bluetooth ring castles. These houses include Fyrkat in Hobro and Aggersborg At Aggersund. This hall could be tentatively dated to late Viking Age. “The very beginning of the 11th Century CE, or the last part of the 9thcentury CE”
Reconstruction of the Viking house in Fyrkat, Denmark. Image credit: Malene Thyssen / CC BY-SA 3.0.
Dr. Knudsen stated that while we only excavated a portion of the hall, there were likely many houses under the ground to east.
“A hall built of this nature is rarely left alone.”
“It is possible that one of Viking nobleman’s farms was located here. It may have been inhabited by one the important and powerful family in the region.”
But the tale does not end there, for in reality we can identify this family with some likelihood.
“In the vicinity of Hune, we have a rune rock that can be dated back to this period.”
The 1.5-m (5-foot-high) stone is located in Hune Kirke, not far from excavation. It bears the following text: “Hove, Thorkild and Thorbjorn set Runulv den Radnilde’s stone. This stone dates back to 970-1020 CE.”
“Although it is not known where the original source was, Dr. Knudsen stated that we know that it originated from the area.”
It is not possible to prove the Viking hall found in the Viking Hall belonged to Runulv Den Radsnilde. However, it is possible.
“The rune stone, hall and the guild represent the same social classes and belong to the society’s elite.”