The Golden Horns

Amongst the most famous finds from Danish prehistory are the Golden Horns. They were made around the year 400 AD and were decorated with both Nordic and Roman motifs. The combined weight of the horns was nearly 7 kg. The long horn was found in 1639 at Gallehus, near Møgeltønder, in Southern Jutland. A few metres away the short horn was found in 1734. This bore the runic inscription ekhlewagastiR : holtijaR : horna : tawido, in English “I Lægæst, son of Holt (or “from Holt”) made the horn”. Both original horns were stolen and melted down in 1802. The horns shown in the exhibition today are copies made from drawings.