171 



CHAPTEE VI. 



THE DANISH KJOKKENMODDINGS, OR SHELL-MOUNDS. 



DENMARK occupies a larger space in the history, than 

 on the map of Europe ; the nation is greater than 

 the country. Though, with the growth of physical power 

 in surrounding populations, she has lost somewhat of her 

 influence in political councils, and has recently been most 

 unjustly deprived of a great part of her ancient possessions : 

 still the Danes of to-day are no unworthy representatives 

 of their ancestors. Many a larger nation might envy 

 them the position they hold in science and in art, and few 

 have contributed more to the progress of human knowledge. 

 Copenhagen may well be proud both of her museums and of 

 her professors. I would especially point to the celebrated 

 Museum of Northern Antiquities, as being most character- 

 istic and unique. 



For the formation of such a collection Denmark offers un- 

 rivalled opportunities. The whole country appears to have 

 been, at one time, thickly studded with tumuli : where the 

 land has not been brought into cultivation, many of them 

 are often in sight at once, and even in the more fertile and 

 thickly populated parts, the plough is often diverted from its 

 course by one of these ancient burial places. Fortunately, 

 the stones of which they are constructed are so large and so 

 hard, that their destruction and removal is a laborious and 

 expensive undertaking. While, however, land grows more 



