After re-analysis, they were able to find signs of disease – when they discovered a lump on King Gorm’s head. With 3D scanning technology, the scientists are able to factor in pressure damage and readjust his bones. Then, they reburied him under Jelling church in Denmark. To create the 3D prints, the scientists first used a CT-scan of Gorm’s bones. I can’t deny that I’ve also played Hamlet with his skull,” says Bak.ģD Printing Reveals New Information About Old King Gorm From a pure science communication perspective, it’s so much better to have a ‘real’ bone in your hand than to read a dry text about a historical person. “It’s a great feeling to stand with them in your hand, turning them over, and looking at them. Nonetheless, this hasn’t ruined the experience for Adam Bak, curator at Kongernes Jelling, National Museum of Denmark.īak facilitated the reconstruction and explains how it felt to hold the remnants of Denmark’s greatest king. This time, however, the famous King who named the country was 3D scanned and printed in a range of colors.Īs you might expect after such a long time, many of his bones have been damaged. Unfortunately, those scans were poor quality and so Gorm was exhumed once again for what is now his third exit from the tomb. Then, again in 2000, archaeologists from the National Museum of Denmark removed him again for a CT-scan of his bones and then reburied him. However, his most recent removal was by scientists who intend to study him for 3D scanning and printing purposes.īack in 1978, the King’s bones were discovered in Denmark’s Jelling Church, marking his first removal from the grave.

Oddly enough, since then, he’s been taken out of his grave three times. ‘Gorm the Old,’ the first man to call himself King of Denmark, died in 958 CE. Scientists in Denmark recently exhumed the body of King Gorm to learn about him via 3D scanning and printing technologies.

First king of denmark skjold