During a targeted excavation in August 2025, archaeologists from Museum Vestsjælland located a spring immediately next to and below Boeslunde's famous gold deposits, and produced a new find of two iron lances with gold decoration and another iron object. Based on an AMS dating of birch pitch from a sheath at one of the lance tips, this is Denmark's oldest iron to date.
Boeslunde in Southwest Zealand is one of Denmark's richest Bronze Age landscapes. Within a small area, 10 gold oath rings and almost 2.200 gold spirals have been found in recent decades, which during the summer's new excavations were found to have been deposited directly on top of and around a spring. Two iron lances with gold ornamentation can now be added to these finds. An AMS dating of birch pitch (interpreted as glue/seal from a sheath around the tip of one lance) places the lances in the period approx. 900–830 BC, and thus the oldest iron in Denmark so far (Bronze Age Period V). X-ray photographs of the best preserved lance show several circular gold inlays along the blade; the preserved length is 47 cm, and the full length is estimated to have been around 60 cm.
South and east of the spring lies a cooking pit field, indicating that there were repeated activities such as cooking and ritual stays at the spring in the Late Bronze Age. Together with the large gold deposits and the finds of six gold bowls at Borgbjerg Banke, the lances suggest that Boeslunde was an important religious and economic hub during the period.
The gold-plated lances are not only remarkable in a national context. Iron weapons with similar gold decoration from this period are unusual and without parallel in all of Northern Europe, and the find contributes to understanding the spread of early iron technologies and the luxurious environments of the Bronze Age, where valuable metals were exchanged over distant networks. After having been worn for a long time as jewelry and weapons, the valuable objects were often sacrificed in connection with water in ritual practices.
Lone Claudi-Hansen, Museum Director and archaeologist, Museum Vestsjælland, says: “When we started the excavation, the goal was not to find more gold, but to understand why all the gold objects were right here. We succeeded completely when we found the beautiful natural spring where the gold had been sacrificed. The fact that we also came across two completely unique gold-decorated iron lances – already in the first days of the excavation – was a huge surprise. They turn out to be very early iron finds and objects that we have never seen before.”
Facts
- The discovery of a newly discovered spring beneath the famous Bronze Age deposits, which includes 10 gold oath rings and around 2.200 gold spirals, probably from a gold-decorated garment. The fact that valuable objects were offered in and at springs is known from both prehistoric and historic periods in large parts of Europe, and the find from Boeslunde joins this long tradition of ritual water offerings
- In addition, a new find of magnificent weapons in the form of two long iron lances with gold decoration and another iron object of the oldest iron from Denmark so far, as well as cooking pits from activities at the spring.
- Dating: AMS on birch pitch from sheath at spearhead: ca. 900–830 BC (Bronze Age Period V). Further tests are planned.
- Preservation: X-rays show multiple gold inlays; Lance X313 is 47 cm long (estimated up to 60 cm complete).
- Background: Boeslunde contains, among other things, six gold bowls and a density of deposits of jewelry and weapons from the Bronze Age; points to a religious/economic hub in the Late Bronze Age.
Contact
- Lone Claudi-Hansen, curator/archaeologist Museum Vestsjælland, tel. +45 61 61 03 79
- Niels Wickman, cultural heritage manager, Museum West Zealand, tel. +45 41 37 92 57
Photos: Museum West Zealand_lance both sides.
