THE IRON AGE VILLAGE IN VINGSTED
Travel back in time to the Iron Age. Life around year 0 and the following centuries was in tune with nature; always subject to the changing of the seasons and the moods of the gods...
The houses in the Iron Age village are only open when events and other activities are taking place. Take good care of all animals and houses – we do!
People worked hard to survive. The animals and fields had to be tended, and in the surrounding countryside berries and herbs were gathered. The blacksmith, potter, weaver and other craftsmen made and repaired clothing and tools. Mostly for use in the village, but also to trade or sell when a merchant from distant lands passed through.
The Iron Age village in Vingsted is Denmark’s largest reconstructed Iron Age village. Houses, fields, smithy, sacrificial site and livestock form an entire Iron Age settlement. Here you can take part in activities and learn what life was like for Iron Age people.
The Iron Age village consists of several reconstructed houses and farms from various known Iron Age sites in Jutland. The buildings are named after the places they were found.
The animals
The Iron Age people had sheep, goats, cattle, pigs and horses. Most animals were for breeding, working and producing dairy before they were eventually eaten.
Most people were farmers. They had many different animals, so they were self-sufficient in everything like meat, hides and wool. Livestock were important for survival and therefore well looked after.
The Iron Age village has two bullocks, a herd of Gute sheep and Danish landrace goats. Join in when milking, feeding, grooming and working in the stable at various events all year round.
The chief and the craftsmen
Each family lived on a fenced-in farm. Around all the farms there was a common fence. From the size of the farms in the Iron Age village it is evident that some were richer than others.
In Hoddehuset, the village potter lives with her husband, who is a blacksmith. The smithy is located behind the house, which has living quarters in the west and a barn in the east. The potter’s workshop is the small house in front of the farm.
Steppinggården is the village’s largest farm. The chieftain lives here with his wife. In the adjoining buildings we find the stable and the weaving workshop with the völva’s belongings.
Unlike the other houses in the village, Steppinggården does not have stable and habitation in the same house.
No food, no life
Overbygård is home to the village farmer. The farmer takes care of all the animals and makes sure there are grain and vegetables in the fields.
On the Iron Age farmer’s fields grew grain such as barley, wheat and oats, and there were other edible plants such as peas, beans, sea kale, goosefoot, beets and angelica.
Nature was also a large pantry where parsnip, celery, horseradish and carrot grew wild along with blackberries, raspberries, red- and blackcurrants, apples, sea buckthorn, ground elder, nettle and hazelnuts and more.
Mysterious bog
The sacred bog exudes mysticism. This was where the Iron Age people encountered the higher powers that determined daily life. Here they sacrificed in order to remain in good standing with the gods.
Cult and religion were essential to the everyday life of the Iron Age people to secure the crops and the welfare of the animals.
However, the bog was also used for other things such as softening of wood when making wagon wheels or digging for peat. In bogs archaeologists have found traces of sacrifices such as pots with food, gold jewellery, white stones, animals, weapons and even humans.
Stay the night in the Iron Age
In a clearing in the forest lies Vorbassehuset. The house is a small longhouse that belonged to a large Iron Age farm. It was probably used as an outbuilding, storehouse or workshop.
Vorbassehuset is furnished as a residential house with sleeping capacity for 15 people.
It is possible to rent Vorbassehuset for accommodation and other activities.
Please note that events below are in danish.