bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and musk ...

Himmerland Himmerland is a peninsula in northeastern Jutland, Denmark. It is delimited to the north and the west by the Limfjord, to the east by the Kattegat, and to the south by the Mariager Fjord. The largest city is Aalborg; smaller towns include Hobro, ...

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

Aars Aars or Års, () is a Denmark, Danish town with a population of 8,708 (1 January 2025)turf-production during and after World War II, large parts of the bog has turned into lakes.

Archaeology

Borremose is famous for being the finding site of more than three

bog bodies A bog body is a human cadaver that has been Natural mummy, naturally mummified in a Bog, peat bog. Such bodies, sometimes known as bog people, are both geographically and chronologically widespread, having been dated to between 8000 BC and the S ...

(Late

Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...

) and a fortified settlement (Martens 1994). Borremose Man2

Borremose is known for and identified with a former fortified settlement dating from the Pre-Roman

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

(400-100 BC) . It was constructed during the 4th century BC, as one of the largest structures of its kind in

Northern Europe The northern region of Europe has several definitions. A restrictive definition may describe northern Europe as being roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, which is about 54th parallel north, 54°N, or may be based on other ge ...

, but was already abandoned during the 2nd century BC, when the houses were burned down and the whole site levelled to the ground. The area was used for agricultural purposes during the 1st century AD, after which it was abandoned and left to the bog. The site was rediscovered in 1929 when the bog was being turned into arable land. The fortified settlement of Borremose comprised a 140 x 90 m gravel bank surrounded by a

moat A moat is a deep, broad ditch dug around a castle, fortification, building, or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. Moats can be dry or filled with water. In some places, moats evolved into more extensive water d ...

with earth mounds on the inner side and connected to dry land by a 150 metres artificial cobbled road. The 450 m long moat, was 4 m wide, 1,5 m deep and with a flat bottom. The settlement consisted of what seem to be ordinary long houses though without byre. At the most about 20 long houses may have been in use at the same time. After the excavation, the house sites were marked with turf walls so the settlement plan is visible for the visitor today; furthermore, the moats have been emptied and the walls reconstructed. For a long time, the Borremose-fortification was the only known

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

fortified settlement in Scandinavia, until a similar construction was discovered at Lyngsmose near

Ringkøbing Ringkøbing (older spelling ''Ringkjøbing'') is a town in Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality in Central Denmark Region, Region Midtjylland on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in west Denmark. It has a population of 9,830 (1 January 2025).

in western Jutland in 1999. Because of this, such structures are sometimes referred to as "Borremose-fortifications", regardless of their whereabouts. Some of the finds from Borremose are on exhibit at Museumcentre Aars in the town of Aars, either as copies or originals. The museum centre presents many other interesting finds from western

Himmerland Himmerland is a peninsula in northeastern Jutland, Denmark. It is delimited to the north and the west by the Limfjord, to the east by the Kattegat, and to the south by the Mariager Fjord. The largest city is Aalborg; smaller towns include Hobro, ...

, like

Scandinavia Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...

s oldest known human skull, 10,000 years old from the

Maglemosian culture Maglemosian ( 9000 – 6000 BC) is the name given to a culture of the early Mesolithic period in Northern Europe. In Scandinavia, the culture was succeeded by the Kongemose culture. Environment and location The name originates fr ...

. Since Borremose is so inaccessible, it is estimated to hold many interesting finds for the future. The land around Borremose has revealed several individual settlements from the

Nordic Iron Age Iron Age Scandinavia (or Nordic Iron Age) was the Iron Age, as it unfolded in Scandinavia. It was preceded by the Nordic Bronze Age. Beginnings The 6th and 5th centuries BC were a tipping point for exports and imports on the European contine ...

and a few kilometres south east of the boglands, the village of Østerbølle with 9

longhouse A longhouse or long house is a type of long, proportionately narrow, single-room building for communal dwelling. It has been built in various parts of the world including Asia, Europe, and North America. Many were built from lumber, timber and ...

s and a number of small houses, has recently been restored. There are a number of

Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistory, prehistoric period during which Rock (geology), stone was widely used to make stone tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years and ended b ...

and

Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...

barrows near the bog. Graves from the Iron Age has also been found. The famous silver "

Gundestrup cauldron The Gundestrup cauldron is a richly decorated silver vessel, thought to date from between 200 BC and 300 AD, or more narrowly between 150 BC and 1 BC. This places it within the late La Tène period or early Roman Iron Age. The cauldron is t ...

" was found in the minor bog of Rævemosen less than 1 km to the north of Borremose in 1891. A bronze kettle made by

Etruscan __NOTOC__ Etruscan may refer to: Ancient civilization *Etruscan civilization (1st millennium BC) and related things: **Etruscan language ** Etruscan architecture **Etruscan art **Etruscan cities **Etruscan coins **Etruscan history **Etruscan myt ...

s around 300 BC, has also been unearthed in the nearby bog of Mosbæk in 1875.Imported metal kettles from pre-roman iron age
National Museum of Denmark In earlier times, Borremose was much larger than what remains today and both Rævemosen and Mosbæk, was an integral part of the Borremose boglands.

In literature

Danish fictive treatments involving Borremose include: * Ebbe Kløvedal Reich: ''Fæ og frænde'' (1977) * Børge Børresen: ''Kimbrerborgen''; Gyldendal (1948) * Børge Børresen: ''Kimbrertoget''; Gyldendal (1949)

References

Sources

Borremose
Pdf-pamphlet with maps of the site. Municipality of Vesthimmerland
Borremose
Danish Agency for Culture
Borremose
Information on Borremosen and the Borremose Fortification. Vesthimmerlands Museum
Borremose
Vesthimmerlands Museum (pictures) * * *

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External links

Vesthimmerlands Museum
Museumcentre Aars department for cultural history.
Borremose
1001 stories of Denmark. Danish Agency for Culture.
Borremose
Vesthimmerlands Museum {{coord, 56, 46, 50, N, 9, 34, 05, E, region:DK_type:landmark_source:kolossus-dewiki, display=title Bogs of Denmark Archaeological sites in Denmark Prehistory of Denmark Bronze Age sites in Europe Nordic Bronze Age Germanic archaeological sites Iron Age sites in Europe Iron Age Scandinavia Former populated places in Denmark Forts in Denmark