Turfs and timbers

Viking-Age ring fortresses, such as Borgring, were built using substantial amounts of turf and timber, requiring significant local resources. Despite being constructed in an open cultural landscape, the study reveals that sufficient oak—essential for timber construction—was accessible within a few kilometers of the fortress. Researchers estimated the resource area needed by analyzing pollen data from the REVEALS model, quantifying regional oak land cover. This finding challenges assumptions about the feasibility of such large-scale Viking Age constructions and underscores the efficiency of ancient resource management in Denmark.

Mortensen, M. F., Baittinger, C., Christensen, J., Nielsen, A. B., Nielsen, S., Pihl, A., Prøsch-Danielsen, L., Ravn, M., Sindbæk, S. M., & Ulriksen, J. (2021). Turfs and timbers. Danish Journal of Archaeology, 10. https://doi.org/10.7146/dja.v10i0.121918