The fortress was discovered not too long ago, researchers exploring the site say it was built next to the open sea

Nov 19, 2014 09:45 GMT  ·  By

Earlier this year, archaeologists announced the discovery of a Viking fortress in Denmark. Recent news on the topic says that, having taken the time to analyze the makeup of the logs used to build this fortress, scientists found that it dates back to the 10th century.

More precisely, the fortress is believed to have been built sometime between the year 900 and the beginning of the 11th century. Unfortunately, the archaeologists behind this research project are yet to pin down the exact year when it was erected.

A fairly odd shape for a fortress

As mentioned, the discovery of this Viking fortress in Denmark was announced earlier this year. Thus, it was towards the beginning of September that researchers said that, with the help of laser technology, they managed to zoom in on a circular outline emerging from the ground.

At a closer look, this outline was found to be the remains of a perfectly circular Viking fortress that, when in its glory days, measured about 145 meters (approximately 475 feet) across.

While excavating the site, archaeologists with the Danish Castle Center and the Aarhus University came across several charred logs. These centuries-old logs used to be part and parcel of four massive gates guarding the entrances to the fortress.

What's interesting is that, of these four gates, each was erected in a place that it faced a different cardinal point. Thus, it's safe to assume that whoever designed and built the fortress wasn't just a big fan of construction, but knew a little bit of geography as well.

Evidence indicates that, centuries ago, this fortress sat next to the open sea. More precisely, archaeologists say that it was probably built next to an inlet that made it possible for Vikings to reach the Køge Bay fast and without too much difficulty.

“The excavation showed that there was a basin of fresh or brackish water right next to one side of the fortress - presumably a quite narrow inlet leading out to Køge Bay,” says researcher Nanna Holm.

“When the fortress was built, hundreds of tonnes of the heavy clay subsoil would have had to have been dug out into the sea basin,” the archaeologist, now working as the curator of the Danish Castle Center, further explains.

Determining the age of the fortress

Hoping to figure out when this Viking fortress in Denmark was built, researchers analyzed a couple of wood samples taken from logs that used to form one of its gates. It was thus determined that the fortress was erected about 10 centuries ago.

“The two samples were both taken from the outermost tree rings of charred logs that were found in the northern gateway of the fortress. The results of the two samples are almost identical: The fortress was built in the period between the year 900 and the beginning of the 11th century,” details scientist Marie Kanstrup.

Seeing how this fortress is strikingly similar to other such Viking structures built in the days of Harald “Bluetooth” Gormsson, who was king of Denmark and Norway back in the 10th century, chances are that it too was erected sometime between the years 958 and 970.

What's more, it could be that the fortress, now known as Borgring, was erected by the same master builder that created many other such Viking structures such as Aggersborg near the Limfjord, Trelleborg near Slagelse, and Fyrkat near Hobro.

Viking fortress in Denmark is 10 centuries old (5 Images)

A Viking fortress was discovered in Denmark not long ago
Vikings were some of the world's best navigatorsSome say it was Vikings who first discovered America
+2more