ADOPT A BURIAL MOUND FROM THE BRONZE AGE

JULY 31:

We all want to protect the lovely nature we are surrounded by.  This also includes many of the important traces from past generations.  In Denmark you find all the old burial mounds in the landscape. Most of them were built in the Bronze Age ( 1700-500 BC).  In the beginning they were graves for the rich people. Later many more were buried there – from 1000 BC in urns. Altogether 86.000 of them have been identified in the country. Today 22.000 still exist and can be seen in most of the country in the landscape. They are all several meters high.  They are all protected. Only the National Museum may give permission to escavate them. Such permissions are almost never given.

Now, a local municipality, Odsherred Kommune, is running a special project – supported by funds from the EU.  It invites citizens to adopt a burial mound. By doing so you commit yourself to look after it, cut the grass on it twice a year and ensure that no waste etc. is left on the mound.  It is a very interesting initiative to involve citizens directly in active protection of nature and of the cultural heritage.  And people do it for free.

Perhaps it could inspire others to do the same. Not only with burial mounds – but with other important cultural heritages.

See below a photo of some of the Danish burial mounds:


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