Investigations into the semi-mythical and legendary medieval Viking stronghold of ‘Jomsborg’ have acquired new steam, and in a wholly surprising manner. With the native authorities making the choice to assemble an statement tower on Hangman Hill, on Wolin Island within the Baltic Sea, the expectation was that its chilling historical past could be uncovered, because it had served an execution floor, cemetery, and probably even a web site for human sacrifices. It seems, nonetheless, that this present public park may need been a Viking navy stronghold – particularly the legendary Jomsborg!

Looking for Jomsborg: An Unintended Discovery

The experience of Polish archaeologist Wojciech Filipowiak was enlisted for this lofty endeavor. His job was to look at the positioning earlier than building, trying to find buried artifacts that might make clear the realm’s darkish and macabre previous. Given its grotesque previous, the potential for discomfiting discoveries was excessive, stories The New York Times.

Nevertheless, to the shock of everybody concerned, the findings made by Filipowiak throughout his excavation had been extra thrilling than distasteful – the presence of charcoaled wooden fragments strongly indicated the remnants of a Tenth-century stronghold, doubtlessly providing a breakthrough in fixing one of many nice mysteries of the Viking Age.

“It is vitally thrilling,” stated Dr. Filipowiak, additionally a scholar in Wolin with the archaeology and ethnology part of Poland’s Academy of Sciences. “It may resolve a thriller going again greater than 500 years: The place is Jomsborg?”

Poland Baltic Sea. (Ess Threefive/CC BY-SA 3.0)

It has lengthy been identified that Nordic warriors established outposts greater than a millennium in the past alongside Poland’s Baltic coast. These Vikings not solely engaged within the slave commerce, enslaving indigenous Slavic peoples to satisfy the calls for of a booming market, but additionally traded in beneficial commodities like salt and amber.

Regardless of this information, the precise location of the Vikings’ largest settlement within the space, a city and navy stronghold known as Jomsborg in early Twelfth-century texts and linked to a probably legendary mercenary order referred to as Jomsvikings, remained elusive. Certainly, Jomsvikings have discovered point out in some Twelfth and thirteenth century Icelandic sagas too, stories The Heritage Daily.

Trendy students have held differing views on Jomsborg, with some contemplating it nothing greater than a literary invention handed down by way of generations. Nevertheless, the discoveries made on Hangman Hill could problem this notion and doubtlessly alter the prevailing narrative.

In response to Karolina Kokora, the director of Wolin’s historical past museum, the elusive Tenth-century settlement referred to as Jomsborg could be described as a “medieval New York on the Baltic.” It was a bustling buying and selling hub with a various inhabitants comprising Vikings, Germanic peoples, and Slavs.

This settlement would, nonetheless, mysteriously vanish from historic data, abandoning solely fragments of proof in archaic texts. It’s believed to have been a thriving city with 1000’s of inhabitants, full with a formidable fortress and a protracted pier to accommodate the Viking ships that traversed the Baltic, reaching so far as North America. The presence of enslaved Slavs traded alongside the Baltic coast throughout the first millennium has even been found 1000’s of miles away in Morocco.

As students and researchers proceed to sift by way of pottery shards and different excavated remnants, it turns into clear that the Vikings didn’t excel in pottery manufacturing. As a substitute, they relied on Slavic artisans for his or her ceramic wants.

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Hangman Hill Barrows, Wolin, Poland close to to the place the current discovery was made. (CC BY 3.0)

Resurgence of Viking Fascination: A Difficult Tryst with Nazism

The newfound curiosity in Viking tradition – largely fueled by well-liked tv collection like “Vikings”, films, graphic novels, and video video games – has catapulted the Viking Age into the realm of well-liked tradition, increasing its attraction past the confines of educational examine. Certainly, this comes with its justifiable share of bags – tv depictions are sometimes inaccurate, poorly researched, and Norse themes, clothes, and symbols have all been thrown into the fray of ahistoricism.

However, this surge in Viking fascination has had a constructive impression on the tourism trade in Wolin. Ewa Grzybowska, the mayor of Wolin, acknowledges the attract of Vikings and their skill to draw vital curiosity, describing them as “attractive”. There may be an over-fetishization of Vikings that additionally ties up with poorly understood depictions of Nordic genetics – tall, blue-eyed, blonde/redheads, amongst others.

In the course of the Nazi period, Wolin, which was a part of Germany till 1945, grew to become the main target of intense archaeological investigations. The Nazis sought to seek out proof of Viking presence to help their ideology of Aryan supremacy and the dominance of the Nordic race throughout the early medieval interval. Following World Conflict II, Polish archaeologists continued the seek for artifacts, aiming to strengthen Poland’s declare on former German lands and reinforce a way of nationwide identification.

The legacy of this complicated historical past can nonetheless be felt in the present day. Colleges in Wolin as soon as organized re-enactments of Viking invasions alongside Poland’s Baltic coast, and for a few years after World Conflict II, extra youngsters aspired to be Slavic defenders of the island. But, as Poland transitioned away from communism and embraced a extra Western orientation, the need to be related to Vikings surged.

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Jomsborg Discovered?

The hunt to find Jomsborg and decide its historic authenticity has been a protracted and spirited dialogue amongst specialists. Nevertheless, Dr. Filipowiak, the archaeologist concerned within the current discovery at Hangman Hill, believes that his findings supply vital progress in resolving this debate.

Whereas additional evaluation and analysis are vital to ascertain the complete extent and significance of the unearthed stays, Filipowiak expresses a stage of confidence, suggesting that there’s already an “80 % certainty” that the positioning corresponds to the Tenth-century stronghold related to Jomsborg.

“The talk over Jomsborg’s location — or if it actually existed — has been a really lengthy dialogue. Hopefully, I may help finish it,” concluded Dr. Filipowiak.

High picture: The story of Jomsborg tells of a thriving settlement with a formidable fortress on the Baltic.      Supply: Mariusz Świtulski/Adobe Inventory

By Sahir Pandey