Prehistoric Exhibition

	In the prehistoric exhibition it is possible to see some of the many finds from the area around Esbjerg. The people of the past were totally dependent on the conditions provided by nature. For many centuries Western Jutland was regarded as a dark and desolate moorland tract. Numerous finds from Iron Age and Viking Age settlements prove, however, that the land was densely populated.
	At the exhibition you can see a map showing all the known finds from the Iron Age and Viking Age in the area between the rivers Varde Å and Sneum Å. The oldest villages in the Esbjerg region are from the first century A.D. Before that time the farms were scattered around the landscape.
	The peasants carefully considered were to place the farm or village. And the possibilities were rich, because the landscape was open. Five natural resources were necessary for the survival of the animals and human beings. Most important were fresh water and good grazing. The quality of the farmland was of less importance, as the cultivated fields were small. Of less importance were fuel and building materials. Wood, peat and heather could be used on the fireplace, and building materials might be collected far away, as there was no constant demand for them.
	In the exhibition there has been built a reconstructed Iron Age farm with stable in one end of the building and living room/bedroom in the other. It is possible to enter the house and imagine how people lived around the birth of Christ.