6 DISCUSSION To Reconstruct a Sacrificial Site

To Reconstruct a Sacrificial Site Aspects of the Iron Age Sacrificial Site at Eketorp Fort,

The article discusses the combination of reconstruction, ex- For a typical family, a day at Eke- example of a reconstruction perimental archaeology and popu- torp fort may look like this: on en- of an Iron Age sacrificial place lar education was realized (Petersson tering the fort, the visitor is greet- in Eketorp, Sweden as well 2003: 209). In 1984, a with ed and offered clothes true to the as the limits to what can be finds from the excavations was in- period which they can wear during reconstructed in a Living History augurated. The Central Board of their visit, which is highly appreci- Museum. National Antiquities administered ated. Next, the visitor can try some Eketorp fort until 2001. Since then, it of the crafts and activities that are n Egil JOSEFSON has been assigned to the topic of the day, such as tex- n Jan OLOFSSON Museum (see Fig. 1). tile work or smithing. At certain Eketorp, Sweden times during the day, guided tours The fort’s mission is to make the Iron are performed, some of which start Age and Middle Ages come alive with a short role-play. After such a The site using reconstruction work, guided tour, the visitors can learn archery, Eketorp fort on southern Öland is tours, school programs, role-plays, visit the museum or pet the animals a prehistoric ring fort excavated be- experiments, crafts and common- that graze freely in and around the tween 1964 and 1974. The excava- day activities from those periods. fort. tions showed that the first fort on Approximately 50,000 persons per this location was built in the fourth year visit the fort. So far, Eketorp fort is no great ex- century AD (Eketorp I). About ception from other living history one hundred years later, it was torn What can be . The activities carried out down and then re-built on the same with the visitors are to a great ex- spot. The new fifth-century ring fort reconstructed? tent uncontroversial and adapted to (Eketorp II) served as a fortified During the season, several archae- children. Since this goes for more or farmers’ settlement for about 250 ologists are employed, working with less all similar establishments, we years until it was abandoned in the educational activities within archae- have to ask ourselves when recreat- late seventh century (Borg, Näsman, ology. One part of this work is to ing prehistoric times what we actu- & Wegraeus 1976). The fort was used demonstrate and help the visitors ally reconstruct and what we really one last time, from roughly 1170 to participate in every day activities want to reconstruct. Is it a mass- 1240, as a military garrison during and crafts. These activities are, as far produced, cute “light-version” of the the process that led to the creation of as possible, based on our knowledge Iron Age/Middle Ages or is it a ver- the kingdom of Sweden (Borg 2000: of how they were carried out during sion that comes as close as possible 22 pp). the periods in question. To watch to the latest knowledge of these pe- n Fig. 1 The and participate in the characteristic riods? Where are the limits to what reconstructed The reconstruction started in 1978. activities is a way of understanding you can reconstruct? Which can be Eketorp ring As a result, Eketorp fort became the the conditions under which the peo- justified from an ethical point of fort. first location in Sweden where the ple of those times lived (Fig. 2). view?

72 euroREA 3/2006 To Reconstruct a Sacrificial Site DISCUSSION 6

Eketorp and other Klindt- Jensen 1967: 143, Carlie 2002: 659, Josefson 2005: 21p). Iron Age sacrificial sites horse sacrifices are also known from During 2004 and 2005, a great ef- Öland, mainly from the Skedemosse fort was made to illustrate what bog where about 100 horses were an Iron Age sacrificial place might sacrificed at which is interpreted as have looked like on the basis of ex- the central sacrificial place on the is- cavations at Eketorp and other wet- land during the Iron Age (Hagberg land sacrificial places from Northern 1967). There is, therefore, extensive Europe’s Iron Age. material for comparison of South Scandinavian finds of horse bones Excavations showed that sacrifices to that have been interpreted as ritual deities were put in the shallow lake sacrifices. located east of the fort. Although this lake was drained in recent times, a To illustrate small water hole (still there today) was kept open just outside the cur- a horse sacrifice The evidence n Fig. 3 The tain wall to allow grazing animals Ever since Kalmar County Museum This reconstruction is based on the sacrificial place to drink. In 1973, an excavation was took on the responsibility of Eketorp following information. According to just outside the undertaken on the eastern gate of fort, there has been an internal dis- the Arabic tradesman al-Tartuschi, fort. Eketorp II, alongside the edge of the cussion concerning the reconstruc- who visited the market town of waterhole. In 1986, another excava- tion of a sacrificial site and what it Hedeby in AD 950, villagers placed tion was carried out in an area of 18 might have looked like during the animal heads on poles to honour m2 to understand the nature of the Iron Age. Crucial was the question of the gods during feasts that were cel- water hole itself. The material recov- how a horse offering could be illus- ebrated with food and drink (Ström ered from these excavations consists trated. Among the arguments against 1985: 86 p). The custom of consum- of bones from many different ani- the idea were those that suggested ing the horse of a dead man at his mals: horse, cattle, goat/sheep, and that visitors would never accept the funeral was practised among the a large number of hazel rods. Most use of real horse heads. The fear was mounted nomads of the east, such significant are the horse finds which that too many visitors would take of- as the Huns (Görman 1993: 283 p). are mainly represented by crania and fence and that it would be too dis- This practice could have been adopt- leg bones (Edgren & Herschend 2000: gusting for children. We discussed ed by Scandinavians who fought in 21 pp). the possibility of using stuffed horse the Hun army from the third century heads, heads made of wood, and/or to the beginning of the sixth century There are other sites with simi- other materials. Because of this on- AD (Fabech 1989: 114). lar horse bone material found in going debate, no reconstruction of Scandinavia (e.g. Sorte Muld and the sacrificial site was made dur- Anthropological studies of the Altai Ellegård on Bornholm, Rislev Mose ing 2002 and 2003. However, during people from the 1840s are also of- and Vestervig on Zealand (Denmark), 2004 and 2005, we settled the matter ten used to support presumed in- as well as Hjärup, Fredriksberg and and decided to proceed with our re- teraction and influence between Lockarp in Scania (Sweden)). Used construction of the sacrificial site at the mounted nomad peoples and during different parts of the Iron Eketorp based on archaeological ma- Southern Scandinavia. Altai horse Age, these sites range in date from terial, early medieval texts and an- sacrifice involved breaking the ani- the early Roman Iron Age until the thropological studies. Here we will mal’s spine and skinning it so that the Viking Age (Klindt- Jensen 1957: 84, describe the reconstruction made in head, hoofs and hide formed a single 2005, since it was the most complete entity. The hide was then placed on one. an approximately 8.5 m-long pole, with the horse head supported on its The most notable part of the sacrifi- end and the legs hanging down on cial site was the two fresh horses that each side (Radloff 1884b: 20 pp). symbolised the present year’s offer- ing by the Iron Age people (Fig. 3). A similar practice is seen in the saga The heads of these horses were of Egil Skallagrimsson. Here, horse placed on diagonal poles, and their heads are stuck on poles in the pre- tails were put into their mouths. The Christian Norse ritual called nid- horse hides, with the hoofs still at- stång. Specifically, Egil, in his wrath, tached to them, were stretched out erects a hazel pole with a horse head behind their heads. Since the exca- on top and points it toward his en- vations provided no evidence of the emies and then curses them (Alvins edible parts of any horses, it was de- 1938: 150p). n Fig. 2 cided that these were probably re- Archaeologist moved and consumed in a sacrificial At Eketorp, it is interesting that hazel Jannika Grimbe meal in the company of the gods be- rods are found in the same context helps visitors fore the horse hides and heads were as the horse heads. There is, howev- make Iron Age displayed. er, no evidence in the Eketorp exca- glass beads.

3/2006 euroREA 73 6 DISCUSSION To Reconstruct a Sacrificial Site

n Fig. 4 Horse time and again. One possibility is we placed the skeletal crania and foot bones arranged that the bones were taken down and bones to broaden the interpretation according to placed directly in the water or ar- of the sacrificial site. finds in south ranged around it (Fig. 4). To visualise Scandinavia this, we took the skeletal bones from Experiments and the the previous season’s reconstruc- Caucasus. tion and arranged them in a pattern with food offerings around the water hole to illustrate Since pottery with food residue the continuity of the site. The bones has been found at the sacrificial were placed on the ground with the site of Lake Käringsjön in Halland vations of postholes, although some cranium in the centre and foot bones in south-eastern Sweden (Arbman have been found in archaeologi- surrounding it. Archaeological evi- 1945), our reconstructed sacrificial cal contexts containing horse cra- dence for this kind of arrangement site also made several experiments nia elsewhere (e.g., at Hjärup and is found in many places in Southern with food offerings. One example Fredriksberg in Scania) (Carlie 2002: Scandinavia and in the Eastern cul- involved pouring porridge (rich in 664 pp, Josefson 2005: 21 p). tures mentioned earlier. For exam- fat and based on an analysis of the ple, Sorte Muld, Rislev Mose and food residue found in a pot at Lake The placing of the tails in the horses’ Bajtal- Tschapkan in the Caucasus Käringsjön) into a ceramic pot with mouths at Eketorp is based on finds Mountains have bones deposited in a hole in its bottom. Based on a sug- at Rislev Mose where tail bones were this way (Klindt- Jensen 1957: 85 pp, gestion by Carlie (1998) that food found in connection to horse crania Klindt- Jensen 1959: 55 or Görman offerings were performed in this (Klindt- Jensen 1957). 1993: 289). manner, the experiment showed that if the vessel was placed on a few What happened stones, it looked as if the wetland Other animals and finds slowly sucked the porridge away. after the horse sacrifice? Beside horses, bones from cattle, pig To our knowledge, no one has test- What happened to the suspended and goat/sheep were found at the ex- ed this hypothesis before. We also horses after the flesh and hide rotted cavations. Our reconstructions in placed pottery containing offerings away from the bones? The excavations 2004 and 2005 used pig bones to il- of bread, beer and sausages on the in 1986 indicated that the water hole lustrate this point. In 2004, a fresh footbridge and around the paving had probably been dredged many pig head was put on a pole with its (Fig. 5). times in the past up until the end feet lying beneath it. In 2005, two of Eketorp II (Edgren & Herschend fresh pig heads were put on a table n Fig. 5 The 1988: 5). Therefore, we believe that and the skeletal crania of the pig The reaction whole sacrificial the animals were not necessarily left from 2004 was placed with the horse The reconstruction of the sacrifi- place in the hanging from poles until they fell. bones discussed earlier. cial site started in the end of June summer of Eketorp’s people probably changed and lasted for about two months. 2005. and rearranged their sacrificial site A large number of hazel rods During opening hours, our person- were also found in the water hole. nel actively conveyed the message of Leaning on Icelandic sagas, Bengt the sacrificial site. The guided tours Edgren and Frans Herschend ar- started at the site and the role-plays gue that Eketorp’s sacrificial site took place there. In short, the sacri- should be seen as both a sacrificial ficial site became an integral part of site and a place where the thing(1) the archaeological education about met. For example, according to Egil the Iron Age performed at Eketorp. Skallagrimsson’s saga, hazel rods It is very important to note that our were placed around the area where purpose with this reconstruction the thing met, an area demarcat- was not to achieve cheap effects or ed with string laid around the rods to shock the visitors. Instead, we (Edgren and Herschend 1988: 7, hoped to show a part of Iron Age so- Edgren 2000: 21 pp). Therefore, at ciety that is rarely illustrated at all. Eketorp in 2005, we placed hazel Parallel to the reconstruction, visi- rods in the ground around the re- tors could participate in a nearby ex- constructed sacrificial site. cavation of an actual Iron Age sac- rificial site under the guidance of We also laid a paving from the gate experienced archaeologists (see the in the fence around the water hole. coming report). We maintain that The paving extends to the edge of the this is one of the most ambitious water hole and ends with an approx- popular educational projects carried imately two-meter-long oak board out in the living history/open air that forms a footbridge above the museum business. As a visitor you water’s surface. Around this paving, can participate in an excavation of a

(1) A thing was the governing assembly in Germanic societies, made up of the free men of the community and presided by lawspeakers.

74 euroREA 3/2006 To Reconstruct a Sacrificial Site DISCUSSION 6

sacrificial site, see an interpretation of what that site might have looked like, watch and take part in sacrifices via role–plays, and listen to what we know about the site and similar sites during guided tours.

Questions from visitors concerning the reconstructed site were common. These questions were almost always very open-minded and honest: Why have you done this? How can you support this interpretation? Are the horse heads real?

In a few instances visitors condem- ned the reconstruction - one or two persons out of 50.000. What does this indicate? First, it is not possible to please every visitor (and perhaps it should not be) whether you are con- troversial or not. But if you do some- thing that could be offensive, you have to be prepared for strong reac- tions, even if they do not occur. of Agriculture (Barometern, 2005: cles were biased towards the sensa- n Fig. 7 The Both of us have guided many tours 12). The news was also sent to TT, tional and the morbid rather than horse tails at Eketorp, describing what we have the Swedish News Agency, and pub- the suspected felony. In both articles, were stuck into done and why. The reactions we have lished on Teletext. Different news- a small “Short Facts box” was includ- mouths, based encountered were, in most cases, papers around Sweden, for example, ed entitled “The crazy rituals of the on finds at great curiosity. Sure, it looks a little Sydsvenskan, the largest newspaper Vikings,” despite the fact that our re- Rislev mose. horrible, but when we explained it, in southernmost Sweden, published construction concerned something most visitors agreed that it is impor- small articles about the situation. A that took place several hundred years tant to reconstruct prehistoric times month later, an article in another re- earlier. as realistically as we think it might gional newspaper, Östra Småland, have looked. Otherwise, it is difficult reported that the Swedish Board of It is still unclear at this moment what to make history come alive. Actually, Agriculture had handed in a request will happen with the prosecution. you could argue that visitors demand for an indictment to the public pros- The case is not closed and the po- the “truth” and realism (as far as ar- ecutor. The prosecution concerns a lice will do their investigation. The chaeology can deliver it)! Is that not suspected felony against an EU de- suspicion of felony remains. Similar a reasonable demand? Do living his- cree concerning the handling of an- reconstructions have been made tory museums live up to it? imal by-products (Östra Småland before. At the Lejre Experimental 2005: 14). Centre in Denmark there is a sacri- ficial bog with horse heads and hides A mistake As soon as it became evident that arranged similarly since about 1970. We did, however, make one mis- Eketorp fort should have applied for take. The manager of Eketorp, Jan permission (i.e. on the August 30th), Why reconstruct Olofsson, did not apply for per- we contacted the Swedish Board of mission from the Swedish Board Agriculture and immediately re- horse sacrifices? of Agriculture to install such horse moved the pig and horse heads. The answer to this question is sim- heads. Not wanting to hide the fact They were later collected by a special ple. Because it belongs to the Iron that this mistake was made, or play transport which delivers agricultural Age society that we reconstruct and down the importance of obtaining waste for destruction. because it is possible to carry out! such permission, we wish to discuss it openly. At that point we thought that the More interesting, however, is the dis- news value of the story was over. But cussion about the limits of what can The reaction from the media was two of the largest Swedish evening be reconstructed. First, what holds swift. The first was the local paper papers, Kvällsposten and Expressen, us back? Is it a question of ethics, Ölandsbladet which wrote about “il- published articles on November funding or the lack of source mate- legal horse carcasses by the fort” in an 14th with the headline, “Severed rial? How high should the demand of article on August 30th (Ölandsbladet horse heads were shown to children” authenticity be? 2005: 3,7). Barometern, the largest (Expressen 2005: 24 and Kvällsposten newspaper in the region, followed 2005: 17). This headline constituted In her dissertation concerning the next day with an article about the the Expressen´s news bill in the area more than 300 archaeological re- prosecution by the Swedish Board around Kalmar (Fig. 6). These arti- constructions in Scandinavia, Bodil

3/2006 euroREA 75 6 DISCUSSION To Reconstruct a Sacrificial Site

Petersson underlines the relativity of ics (i.e. the study of different concep- “How far do the responsible per- the demands of the visitors when it tions and values used in moral rea- sons dare to go in an interpre- comes to authenticity in reconstruc- soning and what they actually mean tation of the past?” (Petersson tions, depending on the focus of the in terms of right, wrong, duty and 2003: 380). Concerning the Iron individual open-air/living history evil) (Webart 1995: 19) Age, the aspects of everyday life, museum. For example, modern ma- family and security are the ones terials, that are hidden in recon- Which moral arguments can be used that dominate living history in structed buildings, are hardly dis- in favour of reconstructing horse Scandinavian open-air muse- turbing if the focus is to make the sacrifice in the manner we did? ums and reconstructions. A rit- building and its prehistoric context ual perspective, just like war-like come alive, but it is very disturbing n We think that it is important to features belong to the exceptions if the purpose is to show the build- show as many aspects as possi- (Petersson 2003: 314). Maybe this ing process and methods during ble of Iron Age society. In her dis- makes it even more important to that time (Petersson 2003: 361). The cussion about popular education illustrate these aspects? reason for using modern materials and ethics, Webart maintains that in these cases is, most likely, prima- museums usually do not educate n Furthermore, we argue that it is rily financial. their visitors in the fields of, for an important task for a museum example, “ritual, symbolic, ideo- to inspire debate, questions and In the Eketorp case, the line of ar- logical and ethic aspects of the thoughts among visitors. gument would be the opposite: it material culture,” but do educate would be more expensive to make them when it comes to, for in- We believe that every reconstruction exact copies of horses in wood or stance, “traditions, artefacts, tech- demands an explanation and an un- other materials. The purpose was, nology, and traditional gender derstandable context in relation to however, not to save money, but to roles” (Webart 1995: 20) the visitor. When we encounter the reconstruct a sacrificial site with visitor, we must always be prepared a touch of experiment, i.e. how is n We argue that archaeological re- to show him/her why we decided the archaeological evidence from a construction and experiments in to illustrate things in a certain way, sacrificial site formed? Thus, only this example are related. Thereby, which archaeological material we authentic materials can be used. it is right to use natural materials. based our reconstruction on, how Besides that we maintain that if we interpreted these finds, et cetera. authentic materials are available n We maintain that it is more im- We must also be very precise when it and do not harm the understand- portant to show courage and to comes to the parts where our inter- ing and experience, such materials challenge the audience than it is pretations are uncertain. (or methods) should be used (see to serve an easily consumed and Petersson 2003: 359). simplified picture of the Iron Age. Bodil Petersson shows that re-en- Conclusion What might have stopped this recon- actment can be made on sever- We hope that the debate within and struction of horse sacrifice, besides al levels, everything from infor- among open-air museums, living his- n Fig. 8 the law? Ethics can be seen as the mation signs to historic theatre tory museums, re-enactment groups, Different stages teachings of morals, either as norma- shows. She argues that these dif- traditional museums and archaeo- in the horse tive ethics (i.e. prescriptions of what ferences can derive from fund- logical institutions will begin to con- sacrifice. is right and wrong) or as meta-eth- ing, but as likely, from courage. cern itself with what is underlined and focussed upon in the different prehistoric periods. There is a danger of stagnation if we just show the sim- plified, adapted conventional picture of pre-historic periods. It is also dan- gerous to choose not to work with as many aspects as you possibly can in popular education. Several methods of knowledge transfer and aspects of society should be used, without los- ing the scientific basis. If we do not pay attention to these dangers, the public will lose their involvement and interest in visiting open-air mu- seums and living history museums. In fact, do living history museums have a right to exist if they become too focussed on entertainment?

But of course, you should always be aware of those activities that demand special permits. That is, obviously, absolutely necessary!

76 euroREA 3/2006 To Reconstruct a Sacrificial Site DISCUSSION 6

Sources Klindt- Jensen, O. 1959: ”Nomadeneinfluss besteht die Gefahr der Stagnation, wenn in der späten europäischen Eisenzeit. (150- wir lediglich vereinfachte, konventionell Alvins, H. 1938 (1992): Egil Skallagrimssons 600 n. Chr.)” From: Folk. 1. adaptierte Bilder zeigen. saga och Gunnlaug Ormtungas saga. Fabel Klindt- Jensen, O. 1967: ”Hoved och hove.” Förlag. Stockholm. From: Kuml. Århus. Reconstitution d‘un lieu de sacrifice Arbman, H. 1945: Käringsjön – studier Petersson, B. 2003: Föreställningar om det i halländsk järnålder. Kungl. Vitterhets-, förflutna. Arkeologi och rekonstruktion. Il faut que les musées de plein air abordent historie- och antikvitetsakademiens Lund. Nordic Academic Press. la question de leurs possibilités et handlingar 59:1. Wahlström & Widstrand. Radloff, Wilhelm 1884: Aus Sibirien. Lose préférences concernant les reconstitutions. Stockholm. Blätter aus dem Tagebuch eines reisenden Est-ce qu‘ils préfèrent la version facile et Backe, M., Edgren, B. och Herschend, F. 1993: Linguisten. Band 2. Leipzig: Weigel. modérée ou celle qui tend à approcher de ”Bones Thrown into a Water-Hole.” From: Ström, F. 1985: Nordisk hedendom. Tro och plus près des connaissances récentes? Sources and Resources. Studies i Honour sed i förkristen tid. Third revised edition. Dans les années 2004 et 2005, la place-forte of Arrhenius. Pact 38. Red. G, Arwidsson, Esselte studium. Gothenburg. d‘Eketorp a reconstitué un lieu de sacrifice A-M. Hansson, L. Holmquist Olausson, Webart, B. 1995: Arkeologi, etik och d‘après des fouilles réalisées à Eketorp et sur B.M. Johansson, M. Klockhoff, K. Lidén & förmedling. From: Arkeologi och d‘autres lieux marécageux de sacrifice du H-Å. Nordström. Journal of European Study förmedling. University of Lund Institute of Nord, datées de l‘âge du fer. La question clé a Group on Psysical, Chemical, Biological Archaeology Report Series No 54. Lund. concerné la manière de présenter le sacrifice an Mathematical Techniques Applied to de chevaux. On a discuté surtout l‘utilisation Archeology. S 327-342. Rixensart. Newspapers de vraies têtes de chevaux. Le principal argu- Borg, K., Näsman, U. & Wegraeus, E., (ed) Barometern 31st of August 2005 ment négatif a soutenu l‘idée que les visiteurs 1976: Eketorp- and settlement Expressen 14th of November 2005 ne les accepteraient pas, qu‘ils les trouve- on Öland/Sweden. The Monument. Kvällsposten 14th of November 2005 raient offensantes et mal appropriées aux en- Stockholm Ölandsbladet 30th of August 2005 fants. Alors, on a mis en question l‘utilisation Borg, K. 2000: Eketorp III. Ett Östra Småland 24th of September 2005 de têtes naturalisées, têtes réalisées en bois medeltidsarkeologiskt projekt. Fil.lic- et en d‘autres matériaux. Enfin, on a décidé dissertation in Mediaval Archaeology. Lund. d‘effectuer une reconstitution fondée sur des Carlie, A. 1998: ”Käringsjön. A Fertility Summary fouilles archéologiques, textes médiévals an- Sacrificial Site from the Late Roman ciens et recherches anthropologiques. Iron Age in South-west Sweden”. From: Zur Rekonstruktion eines Opferplatzes Current Swedish Archaeology vol. 6. Ed. – Aspekte vom eisenzeitlichen Opferplatz Les employés d‘Eketorp ont constaté surtout M Burström and A Carlsson. The Swedish der Ringburg von Eketorp, Schweden de la curiosité de la part de visiteurs dont la Archaeological Society, Stockholm. Archäologische Freilichtmuseen plupart ont approuvé que les reconstitutions Carlie, A. 2002: ”Gård och kultplats. müssen sich selbst die Frage stellen, soient réalistes; sinon il ne serait pas possible Om bruket av offerhandlingar på en was sie rekonstruieren können und de faire revivre le passé. yngre järnåldersgård i Hjärup, sydvästra was sie wirklich rekonstruieren wollen. Skåne”. From: Skånska regioner : tusen La question des limites du possible pour Orientieren sie sich an einer Art von år av kultur och samhälle i förändring. les reconstitutions est bien importante. „Urgeschichte/Mittelalter light“ oder soll Riksantikvarieämbetet arkeologiska Si on n‘présente que des représentations es eine Darstellung sein, die auf Grundlage undersökningar 40. Ed. A Carlie. simplifiées et conventionnelles, on risque la der neuesten Forschungsergebnisse so Riksantikvarieämbetets förlag. Stockholm. stagnation. korrekt wie möglich umgesetzt ist? Edgren, B. och Herschend, F. 1988: ”Eketorps borg – en offerplats”. From: Populär Die Ringburg von Eketorp rekonstru- n Jan Olofsson and Egil Josefson arkeologi nr 3 1988. ierte in den Jahren 2004 und 2005 are both archaeologists. Jan is the Edgren, B. 2000: ”Eketorp- offer- och einen eisenzeitlichen Opferplatz auf manager of Eketorp fort, where also tingsplats.” From: Borgbrevet 2000. Nr 2. Ed. der Grundlage von Ausgrabungen bei T Svennewall. Stockholm. Eketorp und anderer zeitgenössischer Egil has worked for several seasons. Fabech, C. 1989: ”Sydskandinaviske Befunde von Opferplätzen in Nordeuropa. Egil is also specialized in the history offerfund som kilde till jernalderens religion Die entscheidende Frage war dabei, wie and anthropology of religions. og ideologi.” From: Arkeologi och religion. eine Pferdeopferung dargestellt werden Rapport från arkeologidagarna 16-18 sollte. Unter den Argumenten, die gegen januari 1989. Eds. Lars Larsson och Bozena eine Realisierung sprachen, waren jene Wyszomirska. Report series No. 34. Lund: Bedenken, die von der Annahme ausgin- Institute of Archaeology 107-117 gen, dass die Besucher die Verwendung Görman, M. 1993: “Influences from the von echten Pferdeköpfen nicht akzep- Huns on Scandinavian Sacrificial Customs tieren würden, weil es ein Ärgernis und für during 300-500 AD.” From: The Problem Kinder ungeeignet sei. Die Möglichkeit, of Ritual: Based on Papers Read at the präparierte Pferdeköpfe oder Modelle Symposium on Religious Rites held at Åbo, von Pferdeköpfen aus Holz oder anderem Finland, on the 13th-16th of August 1991. Material zu verwenden, wurde diskuti- Ed. T Ahlbäck. Scripta Instituti Donneriani ert. Schließlich wurde entschieden, die Aboensis nr 15. Åbo. Rekonstruktion auf der Grundlage der Hagberg, U.-E. 1967: The Archaeology of archäologischen Befunde, der frühmittelal- Skedemosse II The Votive Deposits in the terlichen Texte und der anthropologischen Skedemosse Fen and their Relation to the Untersuchungen auszuführen. Iron Age Settlement on Öland, Sweden. Stockholm Die Reaktion, die die Mitarbeiter von den Josefson, E. 2005: Hästoffer. En Besuchern erhielten, war in den meisten religionsarkeologisk studie av Malmös Fällen Neugier, wobei die Meinung über- närområde under järnåldern. Master’s thesis wog, dass urgeschichtliche Plätze so real- in Archaeology (unpublished). University istisch wie möglich rekonstruiert werden n Fig. 6 The of Lund. sollten. Anderenfalls sei es sehr schwierig, Expressen Klindt- Jensen, O. 1957: Bornholm under Geschichte möglichst lebendig darzustellen. newsbill, 14th Folkevandringstiden. Nationalmuseet. Eine wesentliche Frage betrifft dabei die of November Copenhagen. Grenzen der Rekonstruierbarkeit. Es 2005.

3/2006 euroREA 77