Troldborg Ring

Facts

An impenetrable Iron Age fortress

By Thomas Roland, Forhistorisk arkæolog, cand. phil. (14 stories)

In order to get to Troldborg Ring you need to travel to the edge of Devil's Valley, one of the most dramatic of the natural gorges along the Vejle river. The ring fortress incorporates the steep slopes to the south and east as part of the natural defences that helps make it all but impenetrable. Attacking enemies were given false hope in the form of a terrace at the base of the rampart. The terrace fooled would-be invaders into thinking they were closer to their goal than they actually were. But once they made it that far, they became easy targets for Toldborg's defenders. The circular Iron Age fortress was built between 100 and 200 AD, and is the only one of its kind in Denmark. Apparently, it had no permanent residents and was only used by people retreating from an attacking force.

Public place

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Why build this ring fortress?

Story written by Thomas Roland

Time / Periode 100 400

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The fort was built during one of the most turbulent periods in Danish prehistory. Finds from the Roman Iron Age have revealed military facilities and equipment unseen in the period before: ramparts and palisades stretching for several kilometres, various types of fortresses, and – not least – large numbers of weapons captured in battle and offered in holy lakes and bogs. The quantity of weapons offered shows us that these were well-armed warriors who did battle as part of large armies. Effective defensive measures were necessary to prevent territory from falling into enemy hands. The enemy could have been a local rival or one of the foreign armies that had invaded East Jutland from the Baltic Sea.