ARCHAEOLOGY

Østfyns Museer’s Department of Landscape and Archaeology is responsible for archaeological investigations and documentation in the municipalities of Kerteminde and Nyborg, in accordance with Chapter 8 of the Danish Museum Act.

As part of its statutory museum responsibilities, the department advises private and public developers and also works closely with the two municipalities on enquiries, case processing related to construction projects, local development plans, and more. In connection with construction and infrastructure projects, the archaeologists carry out site inspections, preliminary investigations, and excavations.

In addition, we examine and register a large number of archaeological finds on Eastern Funen each year, including thousands of metal-detector finds, which the museum is required to submit to the National Museum of Denmark for danefæ assessment. All of these tasks are carried out in order to preserve the past for the future and to improve our understanding and interpretation of history.

Østfyns Museer is responsible for archaeological work in the municipalities of Nyborg and Kerteminde through a formalised partnership with Svendborg Museum, Øhavsmuseet, and Langelands Museum within the organisation Archeaology South Funen.

I HAVE FOUND SOMETHING

FOR DEVELOPERS

If you are planning subdivision, construction work, or building projects, it is important to contact the museum – preferably before applying for rural zone or building permits. We can provide information about whether archaeological finds are already known from the area and which considerations must be taken into account under the Danish Museum Act. The museum can also advise you on the possibility of carrying out a preliminary archaeological assessment, which may help clarify the conditions on the site and support your further planning process.

Ordinary agricultural activities, such as ploughing, digging a narrow drainage trench, or removing a large stone from a field, will not mean that you have to pay for an archaeological excavation. The same applies to gardening, home renovations, and similar activities. It is only in connection with larger construction and development projects that a developer is required to pay for archaeological investigations.

Preliminary archaeological assessment

If you have purchased a plot in a municipal or private development area, it will usually already have been “cleared” of archaeological remains, meaning that you can build without further archaeological investigations. However, you should make sure with the seller that the area you wish to purchase has been examined and approved by the museum.

When we assess whether an area contains archaeological remains, we consult records of finds that have been reported to the national registers over the past hundred years. We also examine historical maps as well as the site’s location within the terrain and landscape. You can also view registered finds in the area on the website of The Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces.

In some cases, we can determine the matter on the basis of what is known as an archival assessment. In other cases, we need to carry out a preliminary archaeological assessment by excavating trial trenches across the area in order to determine whether significant archaeological remains are present on the site. If the area exceeds 5,000 square metres or is located within a medieval town centre, the preliminary assessment must be paid for by the developer.

Significant archaeological remains must be subject to excavation.

If we find significant archaeological remains on the site – such as burials or preserved building foundations – the construction or development project must either be altered so that the remains can be preserved, or the archaeological features must be investigated through a full archaeological excavation. The excavation must be funded by the developer, although grants for the investigation may be available from the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces. Read more about the guidelines for preliminary assessments and archaeological excavations here.

Use cultural heritage as an asset

Once the archaeologists from Østfyns Museer have completed an excavation, you as the developer will receive a cultural heritage report outlining the most important results and discoveries. In consultation with the museum, you may also choose alternatives to a written report, where the archaeology and history are communicated in collaboration with you or in ways that can be used more actively. This could, for example, take the form of lectures, open-house events, a small exhibition display at your company, or perhaps inspiration for street names in a new neighbourhood or a playground inspired by the archaeological finds from the area.

DO YOU USE A METAL DETECTOR?

The museums of Funen and the surrounding islands have gathered guidelines for metal detector users on the website of the archaeological association Harja. This has been done to ensure consistent guidance, registration, and data collection across the museums’ areas of responsibility – and to make it easier for detector users by avoiding the need to search for information across multiple museum websites.

If you are looking for information about a specific find you have already made, or if you would like to arrange a meeting with one of the museum’s archaeologists to hand in artefacts, please send an email to mrb@ostfynsmuseer.dk or call +45 65321667. We will get back to you as soon as possible.