Wealth and complexity

Over the course of the last 30 years, many new settlements, in particular from the Late Iron Age, have been discovered in Denmark as a result of energetic and persistent surveying of the landscape by metal-detector enthusiasts. Only a few metal-rich settlements have been subjected to extensive investigation with large excavations and research projects. Stavnsager, located within Museum Ostjyllands area of archaeological responsibility, is one of the metal-rich sites that has, for several years now, yielded metal finds across a large area. Over the last decade, a number of trials with various non-destructive survey methods have been carried out at Stavnsager and in adjacent areas, in collaboration with the University of Nottingham. These have been followed up by trial excavations in order to establish a connection between the various survey data and the actual archaeological evidence present beneath the soil. Contributions to this volume includes presentations of new finds and sites, discussions of the term central place and of social conditions in the Iron Age and introductions to a number of non-destructive survey methods.