Whalebone Fence of Juvre

During the whaling times from 1660 to 1860, most of the men from Rømø and neighboring islands were on ships in the summer in Greenland and Svalbard to catch seals and whales.
Sometimes they brought the jawbones of the captured whales home to process. Because wood was an absolute scarce commodity on most of the North Frisian islands because today's Rømø forests were only planted and expanded in modern times. This rare wood substitute was then used to erect garden fences or to build house entrance portals.

In the fence of Juvre you can find the year 1772 engraved (on the first bone after the gate) so that an unambiguous date was actually possible. The farm belonging to it was owned by the captain (Kommandør) Petersen Andersen List who led the whaler with the name “De twee jonge Hermanns” through the icy seas from 1765 - 1775 and who had probably brought the bones with him.

The Juvre whalebone fence was very lucky that it survived at all. Because the weather on the island gnaws at this organic material day in and day out. Originally, the fence was also much larger and reached as far as the courtyard. This part is rotting, but the part facing the street could be saved by the current owner of the farm Thomas Martinsen through constant care. In 1977 the fence came under monument protection and was completely restored.

http: //römö.net/html/walknochenzaun_juvre.html

Interesting, you almost drive past, you should also read the instructions

The fence is made of 🐳 whale bones