Heorot is a mead-hall and a major point of focus in the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf. It is the seat of rule for King Hrothgar, a legendary Danish king, and serves as both a seat of government and a residence for the kings warriors. Heorot symbolizes human civilization and culture, as well as the might of the Danish kings. The hall is described as large enough to allow Hrothgar to present Beowulf with a gift of eight horses, each with gold-plate headgear. After the monster Grendel slaughters the inhabitants of the hall, the hall must be abandoned for twelve years for the peoples safety, until Beowulf comes to save the day.
Heorot is seen as a sort of light place or good place which is contrasted to the evil monsters who live nearby. It is full of happiness, merriment, and joy, and the monster Grendel is seemingly upset about this. He cannot take part in its happiness, and so he comes one evening to destroy the happiness he finds there. Heorot also represents the center of everything in Danish culture, showing its strength and the continuation of its traditions. It is where Hrothgar receives Beowulf when he arrives to fight, offering his services as a powerful warrior. Moreover, it is where King Hrothgar gives him his rewards as well as celebrates after Beowulf kills Grendel.
In Beowulf, Heorot is described as "mightier far than ever was seen by the sons of earth". It was a place where Hrothgar rewarded his warriors with riches. Although Heorot is widely considered a literary construction, a theory proposed in 1998 by the archaeologist Paul Wilkinson has suggested that it was based on a hall at Harty on the Isle of Sheppey, which would have been familiar to the anonymous Anglo-Saxon author.
