Megaliths And Rituals At Tustrup Denmark

The complex of megaliths near Tustrup is a prime example of the megalithic sites used by early farming communities in Stone Age Europe. Excavated in the 1950s by Moesgaard Museum, the site continues to hold great contemporary and scientific value. Its significance relates primarily to the unusual find of a ritual complex connected to two dolmens and passage grave. The question of why monumental sites played such an important role for early farming communities is currently the focus of several international studies. In Denmark, which boasts one of the world’s largest concentrations of megalithic monuments as well as a strong tradition for research in the area, archaeologists have had a longstanding wish to contribute to this discussion with a comprehensive publication about the unique complex of megaliths near Tustrup. Experts have researched the finds and meticulously analysed the site and its artefacts. These detailed studies have led to surprising and well-documented interpretations of the megalithic tombs, the construction history of the ritual site and their function, along with the inter-relationship between the monuments.

Coollected as a Festschrift for the 70th birthday of Peder Mortensen, former director of the Moesgard Museum and the Danish Institute in Damascus, the essays in this volume reflect the breadth of Mortensen's passion for archaeology and culture in the Middle East. The topics are arranged chronologically and range from stone tools and early human footprints, to the cultural transitions reveled by a Palestinian mosaic from the 4th century AD, to the way the design of a Jordanian madafah from the early 20th century encouraged traditional Muslim hospitality: Several papers cover the archaeology of the region, including Luristan, Elam and the Syrian Palaeolithic, while Frank Hole uses his experiences travelling with Iranian nomads to shed light on excavations of ancient campsites. The final essay considers the development and future of Islamic archaeology as an academic discipline.

"A fascinating exploration of our early ancestors' obsession with stone. With more than 250 stunning full-colour illustrations, Magic Stones is the most wide-ranging photographic record ever published on the megalithic monuments of Europe"--Back cover.

Papers from a conference Skanderborg 27-28th of June 2019 An equestrian burial from the 10th century with an exceptionally elaborate horse harness was discovered at Fregerslev near Skanderborg in eastern Jutland, Denmark in 2012. This formed the starting point for the Fregerslev Research Project initiated by Museum Skanderborg in 2017. Two years later, the museum held a conference to present the preliminary results of the project. A group of researchers from neighbouring countries were invited to provide a wider international context for a discussion of the social, political, cultural and religious background of the Fregerslev burial. With 21 articles, Horse and Rider in the late Viking Age presents the outcome of the conference. Part I describes the excavation of the Fregerslev burial and its contents. The finds, particularly the harness fittings and the remains of a quiver of arrows, and the results of a wide range of scientific analyses demonstrate what a remarkable burial this once was. The excavation methods and documentation procedures, the sampling strategies, and the following conservation and preservation of the finds, give an idea of the many new approaches, which may be useful when dealing with a decomposed grave in the future. Part II and Part III present new research on 10th-century equestrian burials and their significance in contemporary society from a variety of countries across Central and Northern Europe.

"Antiquity Publications announces the publication of the third volume of Antiquity papers, drawing on the 75-year tradition of publishing articles of enduring value. The third volume of reprinted classic papers explores the ever intriguing theme of British and European megaliths. Thirty-six papers examine four principal themes on megalithic studies. The earliest monuments - the great tombs and dolmens - reveal the extent of megalithic variety. Papers range from Daniel's early studies of British dolmens to more recent debates; the perennial interest in Stonehenge and Avebury has figured prominently in Antiquity and is brought fully up to date. The presence of timber and earth circles as precursors or alternatives to megalithic structures show further variety in ancient monument building. The final section, Beyond the Megaliths, through studies of ancient engineering, archaeoastronomy and sensory archaeology demonstrates the abiding interest in interpretations of function and meaning in the ancient stones."--provided by publisher.