Jelling stones under the microscope

An invaluable part of the history of Denmark, who simultaneously is a piece of world heritage, it really badly. It was established in autumn, when the National Museum published the results of 1,5 years of extensive studies of Jelling stones. In the combined film and exhibition bet "Jelling stones under the microscope" to get with the experts behind the rune stones "facade" and see and hear what the investigations revealed. And here you get too runestones the history from when they were merely stones over their shaping to magnificent runic and until today, where their condition is critical.

National Museum conservators ruled last year that the conservation status of the small Jelling stone from around the year 950 and with the famous inscription "King Gorm made this monument made in memory after Thyra his wife, Denmark's fine", is extremely critical. A serious situation for the document bearing the word "Denmark" for the first time on Danish soil. Meanwhile, the state of the large richly ornamented Jelling stones are around 965 confirmed Christianity as official religion in Denmark, worrying. 1,5-year investigation of the two rune stones showed that the emergence of cracks and cavities, and еhat details of the stones have already been lost forever. Indeed, the stones not bear to stand out in the open longer if future generations to enjoy the
beauty of runic inscriptions, Christ and the large lovedyr wrapped by a snake.

The new exhibition gives an opportunity to get close to the story from back in the heyday of Jelling, where the stones were chipped and gone through recent drawings and prints on to the modern scientific evidence of their maturity through many years of exposure to rain and frost - and surprising probably dripping from aphids, which fuel both low and algae at the top of the large rune stone.

Centerpiece of the exhibition is a 20 minutes long bill very rich films, where experts talk about stones international value and the measurement and non-destructive methods have been used to wrest blocks information about their condition. In the exhibition you can touch the sound and "rotten" rock and see amazing colorful microscope footage of various rock types, including of someone who is very similar to the large Jelling stone.

The study of Jelling stones are funded by the Velux Foundation.