Monuments of kingship: Power, memory, and belief at Jelling

Today, Jelling is a quiet town in southern Jutland, 10km north-west of the city of Vejle. In the past, however, Jelling played a pivotal role in the national story of Denmark, due to its links with three 10th-century Viking Age royals: King Gorm, Queen Thyra, and their renowned son, who later became known as King Harald Bluetooth. Here, we examine a small part of Jelling’s story in order to introduce the core components of the monumental complex there, including the eponymous Jelling runestone that records the Kingdom of Denmark’s conversion to Christianity under Harald Bluetooth. The key elements that make up the archaeological site are two imposing mounds, a large stone setting