In connection with the excavation of extensive weapon offerings from the Late Iron Age at Løsning Søndermark, Hedensted, Vejle Museums can now reveal yet another exceptional find from this extraordinary chieftain's residence: a helmet from the Roman Empire. The helmet fragments from Løsning Søndermark represent the earliest iron helmet found in Denmark and, as far as we know, the only Roman helmet ever discovered within the country's borders. The Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces has just published its list of the ten most significant archaeological finds of the year, highlighting the weapon offering from Løsning Søndermark. When the selection was made late last year, archaeologists and conservators were still investigating the iron plates, which would later turn out to be part of the Roman helmet. This means the discovery is even more extraordinary than initially believed. The helmet is part of a massive weapon offering, including more than 100 spearheads, lances, and swords, as well as a valuable chainmail and other military equipment. Vejle Museums' archaeologists uncovered this deposit last autumn during the expansion of the E45 motorway. When the discovery was announced in November 2024, the story quickly spread to media outlets worldwide. For a brief time, the small Jutland town of Løsning received more international press coverage than Copenhagen. Starting Saturday, February 8, 2025, parts of this extraordinary find, including the plates from the Roman helmet, will be on display at the Cultural Museum in Vejle. Mysterious Plates During the examination of one of the largest weapon deposits-offered in a posthole of a house-two unusual iron plates were unearthed, both roughly the size of a palm. At first, their origin was unclear. However, with the help of X-ray imaging, conservators and archaeologists were able to see beneath the thick layers of rust surrounding the objects. The results revealed an extremely rare find: the remains of a Roman helmet. The two plates consist of a neck plate and a decorated cheek plate from a so-called crest helmet, a type used in the Roman Empire in the 4th century. Roman helmet finds from the Iron Age are exceptionally rare in southern Scandinavia, and there are no direct parallels to this discovery. The few similar finds come from Thorsbjerg Moor in Schleswig or from southern Sweden and Gotland-none from Denmark. Destroyed Before Being Offered The find raises significant questions: Why were only the neck plate and one cheek plate discovered? Excavation leader and archaeologist Elias Witte Thomasen explains: "The answer lies in the nature of post-battle rituals during this period of the Iron Age, where weapons and military equipment were rarely deposited intact. Spearheads were separated from their shafts, sword blades from their hilts, and equipment was destroyed and divided among the parties involved in the conflict. The missing cheek plate and helmet bowl were likely distributed elsewhere." But how did a Roman helmet end up in Germanic Jutland, far from the borders of the Roman Empire? Elias Witte Thomasen continues: "The helmet may have belonged to a Germanic warlord who served in the Roman auxiliaries, bringing his personal equipment home after his service ended. Alternatively, it could have been looted from a Roman legionary in battles closer to the empire's Germanic frontier and later brought to Jutland." Both on its own and in relation to the broader deposition of weapons and military gear at the site, the helmet provides valuable insights into the military elite of the Iron Age and their connections to the powerful southern neighbor-the Roman Empire. New Knowledge The discovery from Løsning Søndermark also highlights the vast amount of new knowledge that can be gained through systematic preliminary investigations and excavations during major construction projects-such as the expansion of the E45 motorway. "These excavations have provided a unique, 16-kilometer-long glimpse into Hedensted's past, from the Early Stone Age 10,000 years ago through the Middle Ages and up to the present day. It's an incredible opportunity to learn more about our shared history," says Christian Juel, head of the archaeology department at Vejle Museums. More information about this remarkable discovery can be found at www.vejlemuseerne.dk/weapon-sacrifice. Starting Saturday, February 8, 2025, parts of the find will be exhibited at the Cultural Museum in Vejle. The museum offers free admission, and the exhibition will be open for approximately two months, running through Easter. | 
