But they did it this way because people wanted to follow the transformation involved with the fire. “Why not use an oven-like construction? It would save fire and was resistant to weather and wind. The choice of an open fire is probably not a coincidence, says the archaeologist. His research also shows that special plants and woods were added to the fire to create smoke and smells. I cannot imagine anything else,” says Henriksen. “It’s difficult to excavate sound from the earth, but I call them the ancient firecrackers, and that’s clearly how they were used. Flint contains pore water which can crackle loudly ,” says Henriksen. Then flint stone was collected and thrown into the fire. “The pyre was sometimes raised on thick poles so the spectators could get a better view. Read More: Archeologists burn pigs to investigate historical mysteryĬremation would have activated all the senses. The common denominator is that the dead is cremated, then you sift through the remains, and occasionally it was sealed with a mound,” says Henriksen.Īrchaeologist Mogens Bo Henriksen has experimented with burning pig carcasses to investigate ancient cremations.
“The number of symbolic gifts, such as beads, silver, and gold increases with the size of the fire. Others were sent on their way with as much wood as they desired. Some received a gigantic fire, as their body was laid in a boat and set alight. Throughout early history, thousands of chieftains were cremated in this fashion, and it would have been a spectacular sight for any onlookers.
dissertation on the significance of funeral pyres in Denmark. “They used much more wood than was necessary-a few cubic metres would have been enough, but it was intended to be a spectacular ritual,” says archaeologist Mogens Bo Henriksen from Odense City Museums. The nobleman is sent on his way to the afterlife.
A wooden pyre, ten by twenty metres, reaches two metres up into the sky, ensuring that the blaze is burning bright. The flames dance high in the air as they embrace the deceased nobleman.
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