Tissø

Tissø – the god ‘Tyr’s Lake’ – is Zealand’s fourth largest lake, and forms the natural centre of Denmark’s first nature park, Åmosen. Nearby Halleby River provides a link between the lake and the Great Belt. Tissø’s Viking past was first discovered in 1977 when a local farmer pulled the Tissø Ring up from the soil – a 1.8kg ring of pure gold; to date the largest single gold find from this era and dating to the mid-900s. This is now on display at the National Museum (> 46). From the middle of the 1990s, archaeologists began major excavations at the site, and slowly a picture emerged of powerful landowning chieftains. Thus a local king ruled here from around 600 to the beginning of the 1000s. One remarkable aspect of Viking Tissø is the Cult House where people paid homage to the old gods – probably first and foremost the war god Tyr, after whom the lake is named. Many swords sacrificed to him have been found at the bottom of the lake. This site at Tissø is included in a YouTube animation film on show at the nature park. The settlement area was at least 25,000 m2 – the equivalent of 3½ football pitches. But so much still remains to be discovered around the shores of Tissø Lake, so archaeologists often return and are happy to share their knowledge. Check the website for present studies and excavations.