Sorte Muld

Facts

Iron Age power centre

Sorte Muld" (Black Soil) is a very rich Iron Age settlement. The site was settled for most of the Iron Age but was abandoned in the Viking era. From the 5th to the 6th century, Sorte Muld was a power centre with contacts reaching far outside Bornholm. Almost 2,500 "guldgubber" - tiny images of people and animals stamped or engraved on thin sheets of gold – have been found dating back to this period. Their function is a mystery, but they are thought to have belonged to a temple and may have been used as sacrificial gifts. Bornholm Museum has a unique collection of 1,800 'guldgubber' on display. "

Not a public place

Selected entry

Planned settlement

Story written by Martin Stoltze

Time / Periode 400 700

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Only a small part of Sorte Muld has been excavated, and the area is still being investigated. Measurements of the soil's phosphate content, for example, have recently been used to map the settlement. They show that the main area was surrounded by small homesteads covering an area of one square kilometre. The homesteads are set out in squares, which indicates planning. The central area probably contained a princely hall and a temple building and there are signs of a goldsmith's workshop. Two kilometres away, the coast has a number of natural harbours. The track across the fields between the settlement and Vige harbour is now called Krøblingevejen (Cripple Road") and was probably the prehistoric main entrance to Sorte Muld. "