Settlement of Agernæs

Eagle's claw and tortoise shell from the Mesolithic settlement of Agernæs in Northern Funen, c. 4000 BC. They were both probably worn as magical ornaments. Both artifacts are now at Møntergården in Odense. Photo: René Riis.

Intro

In the Mesolithic settlement of Agernæs in northern Funen an eagle’s claw and a tortoise shell was excavated. They both show signs of having been suspended and were probably worn as magical ornaments. c. 4,000 BC.

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. Magical animals Nature and faith have been closely linked since the earliest Stone Age. Back then, people on Funen lived by hunting, fishing and gathering edible plants. They were dependent on nature, which, therefore, became a central part of their religious world. But magical properties have also been attributed to nature much later in history.

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.