A Viking Hall Thought to Be 1000 Years Old Unearthed in Denmark

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Jon Olav Eikenes ©CC BY 2.0 | Representative Image

Archaeologists from Nordjyske Museer found a large Viking hall in Hune, northern Denmark. The remains are thought to be around 1000 years old.

During excavations in Hune, about 300 kilometers northwest of the capital Copenhagen, the remains of a building thought to be a Viking hall were found recently.

Based on the architectural features of the remains, it is thought to date from the period of Harald Blåtand. So this means that the hall is about 1000 years old.

Who is Harald Blåtand?
Harald Blåtand is the king of Denmark, who ruled from 958 to 985/987. He was the son of Gorm and Thyra, but his date of birth is unknown. Harald Blåtand is also known as the king who introduced Christianity to Denmark. Today’s Bluetooth technology is named after Harald Blåtand’s nickname, “Blue Tooth”.

Officials from Nordjyske Museer announced that the hall is approximately 10 meters wide and 40 meters long.

The unearthed Viking hall.
Nordjyske Museer

Archaeologist Thomas Rune Knudsen said that the structure is the largest of its kind discovered in the last 10 years and that no similar structure has been found in North Jutland before.

Thomas Rune Knudsen also stated that there may be other structures around the hall and that excavations will continue in 2023.

Although the hall is thought to be around 1000 years old based on its stylistic features, archaeologists will try to find the exact age of the structure by radiocarbon dating. Detailed information on the age and architectural features of the building is expected to be shared with the public in the future.

Based on the size of the hall, archaeologists think that it did not belong to an ordinary house. The hall was probably used for meetings by the political elite. It is in this hall that the future of North Jutland may have been shaped, says Thomas Rune Knudsen.

The Hune stone is one of only two rune stones ever discovered at Vendsyssel. It is dated between 970 and 1020. It is written on the stone that three brothers named Hove, Thorkil and Thorbjørn erected the stone for their father, Runulv den Rådsnilde.
Nordjyske Museer

Some archaeologists think the hall may have belonged to the family of Runulv den Rådsnilde, based on a rune stone found near Hune. However, it is also stated that the current data are insufficient to prove it.

• Harald Bluetooth (Wikipedia)