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Fieldnotes by Martin_L

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Troldkirken (Langdysse)

Troldkirken (Church of trolls // Troll`s church) is a truly magnificent long dolmen (Danish: Langdysse) in North Jutland. It is one of Jutland`s most famous megalithic monuments.
The tomb was built on a hilltop ca. 15 km west Ålborg 1km NE of Sønderholm. From the site you have a splendid view over Limfjorden and parts of Himmerland.
The barrow is approximately 50m long and 7m wide. Despite some erosion barrow's height is still appr. 1m. Orientation is NE-SW. The barrow is surrounded by 47 kerbstones (according to literature....I did not count them). Some of them are still in situ, others were moved out of place when the earthwork eroded in the course of the time. The one at the northeastern end of the barrow is the largest at a visible height of appr. 2,5m.
The chamber is situated some meters northeast of barrow`s centre. It is a large hexagonal dolmen chamber with short passage (Typ IV) covered by an enormous capstone.

Access is easy, it is only a short walk uphill. The site itself is a landmark and cannot be missed. It is marked on most maps and signposted.

Reference:
Ebbesen, Klaus, Danske dysser – Danish Dolmens, Attika, København 2007, p.199, Pl. 177B

Gundestrup (Jættestue)

Gundestrupgård - Søndre Jættestue

Passage Grave in North Jutland (Nordjylland)

The ground plan of this tomb is extremly rare in Denmark. I am not sure if there really is a another one of this type.

A 4m long passage leads into a polygonal chamber, covered by a large capstone. Between two chamber uprights is a small gap, that connects the main chamber with a polygonal sidechamber. The sidechamber has approximately half the size of the main-chamber and is also covered by a single capstone.

The tomb is situated in a damaged barrow. Clear height of both chambers is reduced a bit as they are filled with earth to a certain extent. Therefore access of the sidechamber was not possible.

There are a large (bronze age) barrow and a magnificent, but overgrown and damaged double passage grave with two side-chambers (Gundestrup Northern passage grave) nearby [Date of visit: April 1990]

Sogn Beskrivelse No. Skræm (Skraem) SB-27
Skræm sogn, Øster Han herred, Hjørring amt

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