not suggest long-lasting occupation in the market and production areas. There seem to
have been short, but intense periods of activity.
A ROYAL PALACE?The find material thus shows that people belonging to the absolute elite were at the
Tissø complex throughout its functional period. The distinctive arrangement of
the buildings suggests, though, that they did not use it as a permanent residence. The
main residence must therefore lie elsewhere, and perhaps we should move up a level as
far as the ownership of the complex is concerned. It might have been a royal complex –
not a primary residence, but an establishment belonging to the royal estate system of a
mobile monarchy (see Jørgensen 2003 for further discussion).
The possible function of the Tissø complex as a royal palace, but not as a main
residence, might also be indicated by the fact that no graves have yet been found in
connection with the site. If this absence of graves is real, it provides support for the idea
that the complex was not the magnate’s primary residence as it would be natural to
expect rich, dynastic graves in connection with the main residence. As to where such a
main residence might have been, we can turn our attention to Old Lejre near Roskilde,
where the residential complex has much more of the character of a permanent residence
(see Christensen, ch. 8. 4 , below).
BIBLIOGRAPHYJørgensen, L. ( 2003 ) ‘Manor and market at Lake Tissø in the sixth to eleventh centuries: the
Danish “productive” sites’, in T. Pestell and K. Ulmschneider (eds) Markets in Early Medieval
Europe. Trading and ‘Productive’ Sites, 650 – 850 , Bollington: Windgather Press.
–– Lars Jørgensen––