Published on
05/07/2026 - 10:32 GMT+2
The Vikings were apparently not only a warlike people: In Søften, a small village in the Mid Jutland region north of Aarhus, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of an exceptionally large craft settlement. The complex dates from the 7th to 10th centuries and covers 100,000 square metres. In total, the archaeologists excavated 82 pit houses.
The area seems to have served as a specialised craft zone, with numerous workplaces operating in parallel. The large number of identical workshops suggests that division of labour, and possibly centralised control, played a role.
The excavations brought to light an enormous number of loom weights, spindle whorls and glass beads, indicating that textiles were produced there on a scale far exceeding the needs of the local population. The finds document a complete production chain, from processing the fibres to the finished fabric.
