The Lusehøj grave mound

Shard of glass from a port bottle. Maybe it belonged to Frederik 7th? It is now at Møntergården in Odense. Photo: Jens Gregers Aagaard.

Intro

The Lusehøj barrow at Voldtofte is the richest, known grave dating from the later part of the Bronze Age. The burial mound has been excavated several times. The first time was in 1862 by order of Frederik 7th and, later on, by archaeologists in the 1970s.

Pilgrimage to south-west Funen In the Late Bronze Age (c. 1,000-500 BC), people regularly flocked from near and far to a site in south-west Funen, present-day Voldtofte, in order to offer to the gods and take part in religious ceremonies. This is demonstrated by numerous finds from graves, hoards and settlements. At the bidding of the gods Faith and rituals have shaped life on Funen since antiquity. In the hope of gaining the gods’ favour, Funen’s inhabitants dispatched grave goods to the kingdom of the dead, constructed churches and wore both Thor’s hammers and Christian crosses. Sacred trading People often gather together in large numbers to worship their gods. From antiquity and up to modern times, places of assembly emerged throughout Denmark where people went to offer and pray. And while they were about it, they might just as well ply their trades, exchange slaves and have their ships, ornaments and weapons repaired.

This location is part of the exhibition 'Funen – at the centre of the universe', at Møntergården in Odense. Read more about the exhibition on our website.