Archaeological Border complex of Hedeby and the Danevirke
The Hedeby archaeological site consists of the remains of a commercial centre (or trading town) with traces of roads, buildings, cemeteries and a port dating back to the 1st and early 2nd centuries AD. It was surrounded by part of the Dannevirke, a defensive line across the Isthmus of Schleswig that separated Jutland from the rest of mainland Europe. Due to its unique location between the Frankish Empire to the south and the Kingdom of Denmark to the north, Hedeby became a hub for trade between mainland Europe and Scandinavia, as well as between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Due to its rich, well-preserved archaeological material, it has become an important site for the interpretation of economic, social and historical developments in Europe during the Viking Age.