Bronze Age

History of Denmark between 1700 BC - 501 BC

The Bronze Age in Denmark covers the period 1700 - 500 BC. At the transition from the Neolithic period to the Bronze Age new connections were established between north and south. The new metal of bronze, which replaced stone and flint, was imported to Denmark from foreign areas of Europe. Weapons, tools and jewellery were now made of bronze and gold - metals which had to be obtained via the European connections.

Several burial mounds were built in the Early Bronze Age. In the burial mounds the elite of the time were buried, dressed in clothes woven from wool and with fine gifts of bronze. You can zoom in on the Egtved Girl and the man from Muldbjerg, who lie in their oak coffins, or read about the family from Borum Eshøj.

The domesticated horse was introduced to Denmark in the Bronze Age. Together with the sun and the ship it became a central element in the religion of the Bronze Age.

Reference: National Museum of Denmark

Previous historical period: Neolithic Age (-5000--1701) | Next historical period: Early Iron Age (-500-400)

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Church of St Donatus

The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.

The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.