![Eketorps borg - KMB - 16000300029907](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Eketorps_borg_-_KMB_-_16000300029907.jpg)
Eketorp is an
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
fort, located on southeastern
Öland
Öland (, ; ; sometimes written ''Øland'' in other Scandinavian languages, and often ''Oland'' internationally; la, Oelandia) is the second-largest Swedish island and the smallest of the traditional provinces of Sweden. Öland has an area ...
,
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
, and extensively reconstructed and enlarged in the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
. Throughout the ages the fortification has served a variety of somewhat differing uses: from defensive
ringfort
Ringforts, ring forts or ring fortresses are circular fortified settlements that were mostly built during the Bronze Age up to about the year 1000. They are found in Northern Europe, especially in Ireland. There are also many in South Wales ...
, to
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
safe haven and thence a
cavalry
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...
garrison
A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...
. In the 20th century it was further reconstructed to become a heavily visited tourist site and a location for re-enactment of
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
battles. Eketorp is the only one of the 19 known prehistoric fortifications on Öland that has been completely excavated, yielding a total of over 24,000 individual artifacts. The entirety of southern Öland has been designated as a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
. The Eketorp fortification is often referred to as Eketorp Castle.
History
![Eketorp water well01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Eketorp_water_well01.jpg)
The
indigenous peoples of the
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
constructed the original fortification about 400 AD, a period known to have engendered contact between
Öland
Öland (, ; ; sometimes written ''Øland'' in other Scandinavian languages, and often ''Oland'' internationally; la, Oelandia) is the second-largest Swedish island and the smallest of the traditional provinces of Sweden. Öland has an area ...
natives with
Romans and other
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
ans. The
ringfort
Ringforts, ring forts or ring fortresses are circular fortified settlements that were mostly built during the Bronze Age up to about the year 1000. They are found in Northern Europe, especially in Ireland. There are also many in South Wales ...
in that era is thought to have been a gathering place for religious
ceremonies
A ceremony (, ) is a unified ritualistic event with a purpose, usually consisting of a number of artistic components, performed on a special occasion.
The word may be of Etruscan origin, via the Latin '' caerimonia''.
Church and civil (secular) ...
and also a place of refuge for the local
agricultural
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating Plant, plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of Sedentism, sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of Domestication, domesticated species created food ...
community when an outside enemy appeared. The circular design was believed to be chosen because the terrain is so level that attack from any side was equally likely. The original diameter of this circular stone
fortification
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
was about . In the next century the stone was moved outward to construct a new circular structure of about in diameter. At this juncture there were known to be about fifty individual cells or small structures within the fort as a whole. Some of these cells were in the center of the fortified ring, and some were actually built into the wall itself.
In the mid 600s AD the ringfort was mysteriously abandoned, and it remained unused until the early 11th century. This 11th century work generally built upon the earlier
fort, except that
stone interior cells were replaced with
timber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
structures, and a second outer defensive wall was erected.
Modern day situation
Presently the fort is used as a tourist site for visitors to Öland to experience a fortification for this region. A
museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...
located in the interior long houses displays a few of the large number (26 000) of
artifacts retrieved by the National Heritage Board during the major decade long excavation ending in 1974. Inside the fort, visitors are greeted by employees wearing the historical costumes from the period 400–650. There are daily activities during the summer season (mid June to mid August), which include archery, bread baking, crafts and many activities mainly towards children. Besides use as a tourist attraction the site has been used for
experimental archaeology. In 2005 the exhibitions was the centre of a controversy when the staff recreated Iron Age
horse sacrifice
Horse sacrifice is the ritual killing and offering of a horse, usually as part of a religious or cultural ritual. Horse sacrifices were common throughout Eurasia with the domestication of the horse and continuing up until the spread of Abrahamic ...
s which involved presenting real horse heads mounted on poles, based on archaeological evidence. Several children saw the displayed heads and the museum was reported to the police. The was case was brought to court, on the basis on inproper handling of slaughterhouse biproducts, but the museum was freed on all points. The museums staff defended their actions on account of presenting the realism of the Iron Age under the guidance of experienced archaeologists. They also pointed out that the
Lejre Experimental Centre
Land of Legends, ''Centre for Historical-Archaeological Research and Communication'' (Danish: ''Sagnlandet Lejre'') is a 106-acre (43 hectare) archaeological open-air museum situated in the Lejre Municipality, few kilometres west of Roskilde, De ...
in Denmark had displayed similar "sacrifices" since the 1970's. The staff was also critical to how media handled the situation, making a point of
Kvällsposten
''Expressen'' (''The Express'') is one of two nationwide evening newspapers in Sweden, the other being ''Aftonbladet''. ''Expressen'' was founded in 1944; its symbol is a wasp and its slogans are "it stings" or "''Expressen'' to your rescue".
...
and
Expressen
''Expressen'' (''The Express'') is one of two nationwide evening newspapers in Sweden, the other being '' Aftonbladet''. ''Expressen'' was founded in 1944; its symbol is a wasp and its slogans are "it stings" or "''Expressen'' to your rescue".
...
having focused on the sensationalism (handling of animal by-products) of the case rather than the actual legal concerns (inproper handling on remains).
Eketorp lies a few kilometers west of
route 136. There is an ample unpaved parking area situated approximately two kilometers west of the paved Öland perimeter
highway
A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...
. There is also a
gift shop on site. During peak summer visitation,
guided tour
A tour guide (U.S.) or a tourist guide (European) is a person who provides assistance, information on cultural, historical and contemporary heritage to people on organized sightseeing and individual clients at educational establishments, relig ...
s are available. Visitors are assessed an admission charge.
Since 2019 the municipality of Mörbylånga is responsible for Eketorps borg. The first season was a great success with almost 39 000 visitors. In 2020 the fortress will open at Easter and will be open until late September and the Öland Harvest Festival.
See also
*
Alby People
Alby may refer to:
Places
* Alby, Botkyrka, a suburb of Stockholm, Sweden
** Alby metro station
* Alby, Ånge, a locality in Västernorrland County, Sweden
* Alby, Öland, a village in Hulterstad district, Sweden
* Alby, Norfolk, a settlemen ...
*
Alvar
*
Dry-stone wall
Dry stone, sometimes called drystack or, in Scotland, drystane, is a building method by which structures are constructed from stones without any mortar to bind them together. Dry stone structures are stable because of their construction me ...
*
Ringfort
Ringforts, ring forts or ring fortresses are circular fortified settlements that were mostly built during the Bronze Age up to about the year 1000. They are found in Northern Europe, especially in Ireland. There are also many in South Wales ...
*
Stora Alvaret
References
External links
Eketorp
{{authority control
Buildings and structures completed in the 5th century
Hill forts in Sweden
Iron Age Europe
Germanic archaeological sites
Museums in Kalmar County
Military and war museums in Sweden
Historic house museums in Sweden
Archaeological museums in Sweden