Treasure Hunters Raid Bronze Age Burial Mound in Denmark’s Jutland
A sandy rock beach on Denmark’s Jutland Peninsula. Photo: Tomasz Sienicki/Wikipedia
In a related news story, treasure hunters have robbed a burial mound in Denmark’s Jutland Peninsula (Cimbric or Cimbrian Peninsula), which is believed to have dated back to the Bronze Age, The Copenhagen Post Online reports citing Nordjyske.
According to the report, the Bronze Age burial mound raided by treasure hunters is located on a farmer’s land at Klokkerholm, Northern Jutland.
The farmer was shocked to discover a large hole in the burial mound measuring 2.8 meters x 1.5 meters, and 1.5 meters deep, dug up by the grave robbers.
“I couldn’t believe it. It’s totally grotesque,” says Sidsel Wahlin, an archaeologist from Vendsyssel Historiske Museum, who has been asked to assess the damage to the Bronze Age burial mound.
“The turf has been cut out in squares and put aside, so it is someone who knew what they were doing,” she adds, alluding to the seemingly “professional” approach taken by the treasure hunters who raided the archaeological site.
Wahlin has been unable to determine exactly what the treasure hunters might have extracted from the prehistoric burial site.
It is noted, however, that the person buried there probably was of high social status.
The person in question was also likely buried with worldly goods, possibly including artifacts made of precious metals.
Even though the raided buried mound in Denmark’s Jutland had never been previously examined or dated by archaeologists Wåhlin thinks it dates back to the Bronze Age.
Treasure hunting is especially common in Bulgaria where the robbers target all kinds of archaeological sites and structures – but Ancient Thracian burial mounds appear to be among their most favorite prey, largely because of the precious metal treasures they often contain.
In another archaeology news story from Denmark, archaeologists have found a 4,000-year-old Late Neolithic home on the island of Zealand.
