3D Animation Of Lake Tissø, Denmark During The Viking Age
Tissø is a freshwater lake situated in the western part of the island of Sjælland (English: Zealand) and pertains to the Kalundborg Municipality. Tissø can be translated in English as ‘The Gods’ Lake’, but the origin of its name is debatable (given the fact that there are many myths and tales in the Danish folklore about the lake).
It is believed that during the Iron Age it was associated with the god Tyr (the initial god of war in the Norse mythology), but during the Viking Age the lake was already commonly associated with the Old Danish word ‘Ti’ (meaning ‘God’), without any specific details concerning the god with which it was related.
Fugledegård was a significant Viking Age settlement in modern day Denmark which was located on the western brink of Lake Tissø. The settlement could have been located on either an island or an inlet, and was used as a royal residence as well as a trading post. There is a sizeable number of archaeological findings that were excavated in the proximity of the lake, some even dating back to the Iron Age and thus belonging to the Maglemosian and Kongemose cultures.
3D reconstructed elevated view of some longhouses in the settlement from the Viking Age. Image source: www.docplayer.dk
During the Viking Age, the magnate residence at Lake Tissø handled goods from many places across Europe such as from modern day England, Ireland, Germany or Russia, as well as stemming from the Mediterranean. It was strategically placed, easy to defend and easy to reach over the water. In the area of the local market, many goods were produced during the early Middle Ages, including a wide range of weapons and various jewels for the local earl and his men.
3D reconstruction of the Viking Age residence of Fugledegård on the western brink of the lake. Image source: www.youtube.com
Lake Tissø has total surface of 3,050 acres (or 1,233 hectares), an average depth of 27 feet (or 8.2 metres), a maximum depth of 44 feet (or 13.5 metres), a total volume of 100.64 mill. m3 and a surface elevation of 6.6 feet (or 2 metres).
Below you can watch a detailed 3D reconstruction of Lake Tissø in the Viking Age from the official Youtube channel of the National Museum of Denmark (Danish: Nationalmuseet):
- Tissø on www.wikipedia.org (in English)
- Sacrifices to the Norse god Tyr? on www.natmus.dk
- Lake Tissø on www.naturstyrelsen.dk
- Who was the magnate at the Tissø residence? on www.natmus.dk
- Fugledegård ved Tissø on www.naturparkaamosen.dk (in Danish)
