Blommenskobbel

Facts

Megalithic tombs with capstones

By Torben Dehn, Konsulent, mag. art. (10 stories)

The woods of Blommenskobbel on the island of Als contain a cluster of two round barrows and two long barrows. The two long barrows are right beside each other: one is 53 metres long, the other 35 metres. Each of these had two burial chambers, but only three of the chambers have retained their capstone. One of these, among the largest capstones in Denmark, was unfortunately broken up in recent times, and marks from the wedges inserted when cleaving the stone are still visible. Two of the capstones had been pulled off in ancient times, but have now been replaced.

Public place

Selected entry

Unemployed lifted stones

Story written by Torben Dehn

Time / Periode -3500

1 comment 0 recommendations

Julius Raklev, a conservator with the National Museum of Denmark, restored the Blommenskobbel barrows in 1935-36. By his retirement in 1948, he had restored ancient monuments all over Denmark for 40 years. During the job shortages of the 1930s, the Danish state subsidised heritage restoration projects. Raklev was a master at directing both his workmen and the multi-ton stones. This was before the age of machines, and when the capstone of around 20 tons of the Blommeskobbel long barrow had to be hoisted into place, Raklev and his workmen used two shear legs and four jacks. The shear legs were strong supports made of wooden poles, each with a tackle. In combination, these devices could lift 14 tons. It took 13 men eight hours to hoist the stone on top of the chamber.