DOCSLIB.ORG

SUPPORTING INFORMATION S1 Archaeological Context Birka Was

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
SUPPORTING INFORMATION S1 Archaeological Context Birka Was SUPPORTING INFORMATION S1 Archaeological context Birka was the first Viking Age town in Eastern Scandinavia and constitutes one of the most well-known archaeological sites in Northern Europe. Situated on the small island of Björkö in Lake Mälaren, now in the backwaters of Stockholm, it was once on the crossroads of communication in Eastern Central Sweden. Established in the mid-8th century, Birka quickly developed into a major centre of crafts and trade, both in the surrounding region and beyond. Throughout the following century (750 – 860 CE), Birka was part of a social and economic network centred round the coastline of the Baltic that included other urban settlements like Dorestad in the Netherlands, Ribe in Denmark, Haithabu in Germany and Truso in Poland (Sindbæk, 2007). In the latter part of the 9th century, the significance of these connections declined as Birka became an important node in the Eastern trade network sharing close contacts with similar sites in Ancient Rus’, with Byzantine metropolis Constantinople and even people of the Eurasian steppes. Specialised workshops produced jewellery, textiles and other valuables, that together with slaves were possible to trade for silver and prestigious and exotic goods (Ambrosiani, 2013; Androshchuk, 2013; Hedenstierna-Jonson, 2014). The inhabitants of the town were buried in extensive cemeteries encircling the urban area. Approximately 3000 graves have been identified within these cemeteries, and a little more than 1100 have been archaeologically examined. Most of the excavations took place in the late 19th century and the results were published in the 1940s (Arbman, 1941). Diverse mortuary practices reflect a heterogeneous population and include cremations following the regional tradition but also various forms of inhumation (Gräslund, 1980). The graves exhibit a great diversity in external and internal construction as well as in grave goods and handling of the body. This diversity reflects not only temporal trends but also a variation in socio-cultural backgrounds of the deceased. There are also differences in the spatial distribution within and between the burial grounds (Gräslund, 1980; Kalmring, 2012). The outer regions of the largest grave field, Hemlanden, and the burial grounds, South of Borg, contain cremations. The inhumations, including the chamber-graves, were situated in close proximity to the settlement-area, inside or just outside the town rampart and in the topographically 1 distinguished burial ground North of Borg. They can be considered to represent the urban population and its changes over time. Grave Bj 581 (Swedish History Museum, inventory number SHM 34000: Bj 581) was situated in a cemetery north of the hill-fort. The burials, often in coffins and sometimes in chambers, were placed on a natural terrace just outside the main entrance of the fortified area. A space empty of graves leading up to the gate and down to the garrison, marked a lane that connected these. The grave was placed at the very edge of the burial ground overlooking the water (Arbman, 1941; Gräslund, 1980). The fact that the chamber-grave was placed in a vantage point overseeing Birka’s dense center and the Viking Age royal manor at Adelsö indicates the prominence of the buried individual. Furthermore, other burials with extensive grave goods are located in the vicinity. In direct proximity to grave Bj 581 there were graves of men, women and children, all of which were richly furnished. For example, the adjacent male grave (Bj 495) (Arbman, 1941) contained amongst other things a spear, axe, shield and a ringed pin in addition to a fragment of an Arabic coin from the early 900s. In a similar type of liminal position with a landscape viewshed as the female warrior in Bj 581, was yet another weapon burial (Bj 496) (Arbman, 1941); an individual buried with shield, spear, sword, and osteologically-determined as a possible male, 25–30 years of age. The grave goods included stirrups and horse equipment, and although a platform for a horse had been built, no remains of horse bones were found in the chamber, nor were there traces of a gaming set (Figure S1.1a-b). An Arabic silver coin from 900 CE, as well as the objects, indicates that this male warrior was probably contemporary with the female warrior in Bj 581 (Arbman, 1941), but that he presumably was lower in rank. Other Scandinavian female warriors Two Viking Age burials found in southeastern and mid-Norway have been osteologically interpreted as containing young females, but have nevertheless been equipped as if they were warriors. The skeletal remains (Unimus C 22541) (Unimus, 2016) of a slender and petite woman were found in 1900 in a large burial mound located about 1.5 km east of Åsnes church in Hedmark, Norway (Hernæs, 1984). The woman had been buried, east-west oriented, around 950 CE as a fully equipped warrior, with a double-edged sword, an axe, a spear, five arrowheads, a shield, bridles, fragments of a whetstone and probably a file. At her feet lay a horse. The sword lay along the body's left side, but in reverse direction, so that its point was at the woman's head. The osteological analysis of the skeleton showed the interred to be a young 2 female, approx. 18 – 20 years of age (Holck, 1984). It has been argued that despite her outfit, the slender young woman's hand could never have been large enough to reach around the grip of the sword and thus she would have been unable to handle the sword in real combat (Hernæs, 1984), but this must be open to question. The second female Viking weapon burial seems to have lacked any marker above ground and was found at Aunvollen, close to Snåsavattnet in Nord-Trøndelag (Unimus T 20248) (Unimus, 2016). The grave goods had a conventionally all-male character and consisted of a sword, nine gaming pieces, a sickle, a whetstone, a pair of scissors, a knife and a comb. The osteological analysis showed that the female was c. 20 years old. She was accompanied by a dog. The sword scabbard was made of willow and lined with pelt, there were traces of textiles and down feathers in the grave as well. By her head (oriented towards the south) lay gaming pieces, a whetstone, a comb, scissors and some nails. The sword and sickle were probably placed by her left hip. At a later date a spear and a bead, as well as several nails or rivets were found at the site (Stenvik, 2005). S2 Osteological analyses The buried individual from Bj581 has been interpreted as being buried seated due to the position of the skeleton shown in the illustration by the excavator, Hjalmar Stolpe, where the individual was laying on the right side with the legs slightly bent. The seated posture was originally suggested by Stolpe (Stolpe, 1889), though ignored by subsequent scholars; we are the first to restore this interpretation (Figure S1.1a). Osteologist Berit Vilkans noted already in the beginning of the 1970s that the skeletal remains in the grave exhibited female characteristics (Vilkans, 1975). However, due to the fact that some finds and osteological materials from Birka have lost their contextual providence during the years of storage, Vilkans’ observations were never commented upon. Nevertheless, except for the missing cranium, the documented remains correspond with the documentation by Stolpe from 1889 (Stolpe, 1889). For example, among the depicted inhumation graves (chamber graves or coffin burials) few seem to have had complete preserved spines when excavated. During the osteological investigation, of at least 245 analysed uncremated skeletons, only four, except for Bj 581, have a complete vertebral column preserved. All bone elements have at one time been marked with the text “Bj 581” in ink. Furthermore they all 3 share the same character and colour on the surface, signifying that they were part of the same individual. S3 Archaeological sex assessment In archaeology, grave goods are often used when assessing the sex of the interred (Petré, 1984; Rundkvist, 2003). Even when there is no remaining skeletal material, the sex or gender of the individual has been determined based on artefactual evidence, though there is clearly a need for caution in such assumptions (Back Danielsson, 2007). As the bias of artefactual sex assessment is unknown, the need for osteological analyses has been stressed, but also the possibility of genetic sex determination (Conkey and Spector, 1984). S4 Genetic analyses DNA Extraction and sequencing All laboratory procedures were carried out at facilities designated solely to ancient DNA (aDNA) analyses, located at the Archaeological Research Laboratory (AFL), Stockholm University. DNA was extracted from 85 and 119 mg of bone powder from the left canine and the left humerus respectively (Table S4.1). The surface of the samples was cleaned with either 1% NaOCl (canine) or it was mechanically removed with sandpaper (humerus). Cleaned samples underwent UV irradiation at 265nm, 1J/cm2 on each side. Both samples were powdered using dentistry drills and a Dremel®4000 drill. The extraction procedure consisted of overnight digestion (buffer 0.5M EDTA pH 8, 1M Urea, 100 µg/mL Proteinase K) combined with silica-based spin column purification – MinElute PCR Purification Kit (Qiagen), according to the manufactures protocols (Malmström et al., 2009; Yang et al., 1998). Finally, DNA was eluted in 110 μl EB buffer and stored at -20oC. Of each obtained DNA extract, 20 μl were used for preparation of blunt-end Illumina genomic libraries (Meyer and Kircher, 2010). The libraries were inspected on 1% agarose gel (0.5x TBE, stained with GelRed™ x10000, Biotium Inc.) and were then amplified with AmpliTaq® Gold DNA Polymerase (Applied Biosystems™) in six separate PCR reactions with different number of cycles for the bone (x14) and the canine (x16) extracts respectively.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Knut Hjalmar Stolpe's Works in Peru (1884) Ellen F
    Andean Past Volume 8 Article 13 2007 Bringing Ethnography Home: Knut Hjalmar Stolpe's Works in Peru (1884) Ellen F. Steinberg [email protected] Jack H. Prost University of Illinois, Chicago, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/andean_past Part of the Archaeological Anthropology Commons Recommended Citation Steinberg, Ellen F. and Prost, Jack H. (2007) "Bringing Ethnography Home: Knut Hjalmar Stolpe's Works in Peru (1884)," Andean Past: Vol. 8 , Article 13. Available at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/andean_past/vol8/iss1/13 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Andean Past by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. BRINGING ETHNOGRAPHY HOME: KNUT HJALMAR STOLPE’S WORK IN PERU (1884) Ellen FitzSimmons Steinberg Jack H. Prost University of Illinois at Chicago INTRODUCTION Stübel. Their intent was to document the tombs before the Necropolis was totally destroyed. The Ancón, on Peru’s central coast, is one of the results of their 1875 excavation were originally most explored, excavated, and plundered sites published between 1880 and 1887 in 15 volumes in that country. Located approximately 32 km titled Das Todtenfeld von Ancon in Peru, repub- north of Lima, the small fishing village has been lished in English as The Necropolis of Ancon in a seaside resort for more than one hundred years Peru . The next large scientific excavation at (Figure 1). Its real fame does not reside in its the site was performed by George Amos Dorsey sandy beaches but rather in its huge graveyard.
    [Show full text]
  • Situne Dei Årsskrift För Sigtunaforskning Och Historisk Arkeologi
    Situne Dei Årsskrift för Sigtunaforskning och historisk arkeologi 2018 Redaktion: Anders Söderberg Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson Anna Kjellström Magnus Källström Cecilia Ljung Johan Runer Utgiven av Sigtuna Museum SITUNE DEI 2018 Viking traces – artistic tradition of the Viking Age in applied art of pre-Mongolian Novgorod Nadezhda N. Tochilova The Novgorod archaeological collection of wooden items includes a significant amount of pieces of decorative art. Many of these were featured in the fundamental work of B.A. Kolchin Novgorod Antiquities. The Carved Wood (Kolchin 1971). This work is, perhaps, the one generalizing study capable of providing a full picture of the art of carved wood of Ancient Novgorod. Studying the archaeological collec- tions of Ancient Novgorod, one’s attention is drawn to a number of wooden (and bone) objects, the art design of which distinctly differs from the general conceptions of ancient Russian art. The most striking examples of such works of applied art will be discussed in this article. The processes of interaction between the two cultures are well researched and presented in the works of a group of Swedish archaeologists, whose work showed the complex bonds of interaction between Sweden and Russia, reflected in a number of aspects of material culture (Arbman 1960; Jansson 1996; Fransson et al (eds.) 2007; Hedenstierna- Jonson 2009). Moreover, in art history literature, a few individ- ual works of applied art refer to the context of the spread of Viking art (Roesdahl & Wilson eds 1992; Graham-Campbell 2013), but not to the interrelation, as a definite branch of Scandinavian art, in Eastern Europe. If we apply this focus to Russian historiography, then the problem of studying archaeological objects of applied art is comparatively small, and what is important to note is that all of these studies also have an archaeological direction (Kolchin 1971; Bocharov 1983).
    [Show full text]
  • THE DISCOVERY of the BALTIC the NORTHERN WORLD North Europe and the Baltic C
    THE DISCOVERY OF THE BALTIC THE NORTHERN WORLD North Europe and the Baltic c. 400-1700 AD Peoples, Economies and Cultures EDITORS Barbara Crawford (St. Andrews) David Kirby (London) Jon-Vidar Sigurdsson (Oslo) Ingvild Øye (Bergen) Richard W. Unger (Vancouver) Przemyslaw Urbanczyk (Warsaw) VOLUME 15 THE DISCOVERY OF THE BALTIC The Reception of a Catholic World-System in the European North (AD 1075-1225) BY NILS BLOMKVIST BRILL LEIDEN • BOSTON 2005 On the cover: Knight sitting on a horse, chess piece from mid-13th century, found in Kalmar. SHM inv. nr 1304:1838:139. Neg. nr 345:29. Antikvarisk-topografiska arkivet, the National Heritage Board, Stockholm. Brill Academic Publishers has done its best to establish rights to use of the materials printed herein. Should any other party feel that its rights have been infringed we would be glad to take up contact with them. This book is printed on acid-free paper. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Blomkvist, Nils. The discovery of the Baltic : the reception of a Catholic world-system in the European north (AD 1075-1225) / by Nils Blomkvist. p. cm. — (The northern world, ISSN 1569-1462 ; v. 15) Includes bibliographical references (p.) and index. ISBN 90-04-14122-7 1. Catholic Church—Baltic Sea Region—History. 2. Church history—Middle Ages, 600-1500. 3. Baltic Sea Region—Church history. I. Title. II. Series. BX1612.B34B56 2004 282’485—dc22 2004054598 ISSN 1569–1462 ISBN 90 04 14122 7 © Copyright 2005 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill Academic Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP.
    [Show full text]
  • Paviken Research Project 2013-2016 Investigation of a Viking Age Trading and Manufacturing Site on Gotland, Sweden
    Gotland Archaeological Field-school Paviken research project 2013-2016 Investigation of a Viking Age trading and manufacturing site on Gotland, Sweden Project plan Project Director Associate Professor Dan Carlsson Arendus Färjeleden 5c, 621 58 Visby Sweden. Tel. +46-498219999 www.gotland-fieldschool.com Email: [email protected] Cover picture: The head of a dress pin in the form of a dragons head. Found at Stånga, Gotland. Photo Dan Carlsson Harbours and trading in the Baltic Sea during the Viking Age - an introduction In our interpretation of prehistory we are highly influenced by the material we see in the landscape or by coincidences found during archaeological surveys, and we forget or neglect to take into account the hidden cultural landscape. This is particularly true when it comes to prehistory in Sweden. As we completely lack written sources before the 12th century (with the exception of runic inscriptions) we have to rely on archaeological field material. An example of this problem is the question of Viking Age trade and its associated port activities. Extensive Viking material from Gotland suggests that the island had a lively exchange with the surrounding regions at that time in its history. This is reflected in the existence of numerous silver hoards; no area in northern Europe has such a con- centration of silver from the Viking Age as Gotland. There are clear signs of an extensive and lively Staraya Sigtuna trade and exchange (or piracy, as Ladoga Birka some would argue), which in turn Kaupang required docking points, ports
    [Show full text]
  • The Conversion of Scandinavia James E
    University of Richmond UR Scholarship Repository Honors Theses Student Research Spring 1978 The ah mmer and the cross : the conversion of Scandinavia James E. Cumbie Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.richmond.edu/honors-theses Recommended Citation Cumbie, James E., "The ah mmer and the cross : the conversion of Scandinavia" (1978). Honors Theses. Paper 443. This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Research at UR Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of UR Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND LIBRARIES 11111 !ill iii ii! 1111! !! !I!!! I Ill I!II I II 111111 Iii !Iii ii JIJ JIJlllJI 3 3082 01028 5178 .;a:-'.les S. Ci;.r:;'bie ......:~l· "'+ori·.:::> u - '-' _.I".l92'" ..... :.cir. Rillin_: Dr. ~'rle Dr. :._;fic:crhill .~. pril lJ, 197f' - AUTHOR'S NOTE The transliteration of proper names from Old Horse into English appears to be a rather haphazard affair; th€ ~odern writer can suit his fancy 'Si th an~r number of spellings. I have spelled narr.es in ':1ha tever way struck me as appropriate, striving only for inte:::-nal consistency. I. ____ ------ -- The advent of a new religious faith is always a valuable I historical tool. Shifts in religion uncover interesting as- pects of the societies involved. This is particularly true when an indigenous, national faith is supplanted by an alien one externally introduced. Such is the case in medieval Scandinavia, when Norse paganism was ousted by Latin Christ- ianity.
    [Show full text]
  • Viking-Age Sailing Routes of the Western Baltic Sea – a Matter of Safety1 by Jens Ulriksen
    Viking-Age sailing routes of the western Baltic Sea – a matter of safety1 by Jens Ulriksen Included in the Old English Orosius, com- weather conditions, currents, shifting sand piled at the court of King Alfred the Great of bars on the sea fl oor and coastal morphol- Wessex around 890,2 are the descriptions of ogy. Being able to cope with the elements of two diff erent late 9th-century Scandinavian nature is important for a safe journey, but sailing routes. Th ese originate from Ohthere, equally important – not least when travelling who sailed from his home in Hålogaland in like Ohthere – is a guarantee of safety for northern Norway to Hedeby, and Wulfstan, ship and crew when coming ashore. Callmer probably an Englishman,3 who travelled suggests convoying as a form of self-protec- from Hedeby to Truso. Th e descriptions are tion, but at the end of the day it would be not detailed to any degree concerning way- vital to negotiate a safe passage with “supra- points or anchorages, and in spite of the fact regional or regional lords”.7 Th ey controlled that lands passed are mentioned in both ac- the landing sites that punctuate Callmer’s counts, the information provided is some- route as stepping-stones. times unclear or confusing. For example, In consequence of the latter, Callmer departing from Hålogaland, Ohthere refers focuses on settlement patterns in order to to both Ireland and England on his starboard identify political and military centres – cen- side even though he obviously has been un- tres with lords who controlled certain areas able to glimpse these lands when sailing of land (and sea) and were able to guaran- along the Norwegian coast.4 Th e same pecu- tee safety within their ‘jurisdiction’.
    [Show full text]
  • Námořní Obchod Ve Středomoří
    NÁMOŘNÍ OBCHOD PODÉL ATLANTICKÉHO POBŘEŽÍ A VE VNITROZEMÍ EVROPY Petra Maříková Vlčková AEB_37 Dálkový obchod raně středověké Evropy 29.11.2015 ADMINISTRATIVA Dnes: náhrada 2. hodiny, tato učebna, po standardní výuce Doplňky k předchozí přednášce – historické dálkové trasy: IS, tento předmět Historické reálie pro dnešní přednášku: tamtéž DÁLKOVÝ OBCHOD PODÉL ATLANTICKÉHO POBŘEŽÍ EVROPY Za Gibraltar: od 5. až do počátku 8. st. poměrně často Alexandrijská loď plující do Anglie a navrátivší se s nákladem cínu – možná reálný základ Trasa: podél galicijského a kantabrijského pobřeží Během cest – návštěva hrobu sv. Martina z Tour Z pobřeží Evropy – od počátku 7. st.: rapidní změna politických a ekonomických poměrů – Merovejci ovládající Neustrii a Austrasii – zakládají na pobřeží emporia: Neustrie (Bretaň – řeka Šelda): Quentovic Austrie (Porýní): Dorestad. SPECIFIKA ATLANTICKÉHO OBCHODU Lodě bez dostatečně pevných stožárů s plachtovím = lidská síla a vesla Početnější posádky – až 250 osob Obchodníci: převážně Frísové – napojení na tzv. severní oblouk Výraznější propojení námořního obchodu a vnitrozemského pohybu zboží a lidí: stratifikace obchodních středisek Fríský obchod směrem na S: kolem Jutského poloostrova (zkrácení přes Jutskou šíji a řeku Treene) – od 9. stol. - Hedeby EMPORIA Anglie, 5.-6.st: hierarchizovaná sídliště; domácí produkce; omezený okruh směny Konec 6.-7.st: EMPORIA TYP A: obchodní místa periodicky využívána, paláce, kostely, stratifikovaná pohřebiště = doklady vzniku nového společenského uspořádání. Změna v řemeslnické produkci a jejím pohybu – včetně luxusních předmětů. Ipswich Konec 7.st: EMPORIA TYP B: proměna v centrum městského charakteru. Pravidelná uliční síť (jedna hlavní). Domy orientované delší stranou do ulice, přístřešky pro zemědělskou produkci Hamwic R. Hodges 1982: Dark Age Economics: The Origins of Town and Trade.
    [Show full text]
  • Truso in the Old English Orosius and Tczew, Poland
    Truso in the Old English Orosius and Tczew, Poland Andrew Breeze University of Navarre Wulfstan’s description of his voyage to the Baltic is an addition to the Old English Orosius. It contains a notorious crux, as follows. Wulfstan (otherwise unknown) sailed to Truso, a trading-place near the mouth of the Vistula. Anglo-Saxonists and others have long identified Truso as somewhere on Lake Drużno, near Elbląg, Poland. But in 1985 the Polish philologist Stanisław Rospond disproved that. He regarded Truso as Tczew on the lower Vistula. Tczew (in German, Dirschau) is attested in early documents with forms (Trsow, Trssew, Treseu) that are compatible with Truso. Those for Drausensee or Lake Drużno (recorded in 1233 as Drusin) are not compatible with Truso. They start with the wrong letter and have an internal <n> absent from spellings of Tczew. His conclusions have nevertheless been ignored, despite their implications for English history and Polish or Viking archaeology. Let us set the out the story in detail. In the year 891 or so, a mariner called Wulfstan made a journey to the Baltic. Wulfstan’s account of his travels (surviving as an addition to the Old English Orosius) has had an unusual history. It was printed as early as 1598, when Richard Hakluyt included a translation of it in one edition of his Voyages. It is still read in Old English courses at conservative universities. Yet problems remain. Before we consider those, readers might obtain a map of the Gdańsk region. Failing that, they should keep in their mind’s eye this image.
    [Show full text]
  • Creating Holy People and Places on the Periphery
    Creating Holy People and People Places Holy on theCreating Periphery Creating Holy People and Places on the Periphery A Study of the Emergence of Cults of Native Saints in the Ecclesiastical Provinces of Lund and Uppsala from the Eleventh to the Thirteenth Centuries During the medieval period, the introduction of a new belief system brought profound societal change to Scandinavia. One of the elements of this new religion was the cult of saints. This thesis examines the emergence of new cults of saints native to the region that became the ecclesiastical provinces of Lund and Uppsala in the twelfth century. The study examines theearliest, extant evidence for these cults, in particular that found in liturgical fragments. By analyzing and then comparing the relationship that each native saint’s cult had to the Christianization, the study reveals a mutually beneficial bond between these cults and a newly emerging Christian society. Sara E. EllisSara Nilsson Sara E. Ellis Nilsson Dissertation from the Department of Historical Studies ISBN 978-91-628-9274-6 Creating Holy People and Places on the Periphery Dissertation from the Department of Historical Studies Creating Holy People and Places on the Periphery A Study of the Emergence of Cults of Native Saints in the Ecclesiastical Provinces of Lund and Uppsala from the Eleventh to the Th irteenth Centuries Sara E. Ellis Nilsson med en svensk sammanfattning Avhandling för fi losofi e doktorsexamen i historia Göteborgs universitet, den 20 februari 2015 Institutionen för historiska studier (Department of Historical Studies) ISBN: 978-91-628-9274-6 ISBN: 978-91-628-9275-3 (e-publikation) Distribution: Sara Ellis Nilsson, [email protected] © Sara E.
    [Show full text]
  • Download a Pdf File of This Issue for Free
    Issue 63: How the Vikings Took up the Faith Conversion of the Vikings: Did You Know? Fascinating and little-known facts about the Vikings and their times. What's a Viking? To the Franks, they were Northmen or Danes (no matter if they were from Denmark or not). The English called them Danes and heathens. To the Irish, they were pagans. Eastern Europe called them the Rus. But the Norse term is the one that stuck: Vikings. The name probably came from the Norse word vik, meaning "bay" or "creek," or from the Vik area, the body of water now called Skagerrak, which sits between Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. In any case, it probably first referred only to the raiders (víkingr means pirate) and was later applied to Scandinavians as a whole between the time of the Lindesfarne raid (793) and the Battle of Hastings (1066). Thank the gods it's Frigg's day. Though Vikings have a reputation for hit-and-run raiding, Vikings actually settled down and influenced European culture long after the fires of invasion burned out. For example, many English words have roots in Scandinavian speech: take, window, husband, sky, anger, low, scant, loose, ugly, wrong, happy, thrive, ill, die, beer, anchor. … The most acute example is our days of the week. Originally the Romans named days for the seven most important celestial bodies (sun, moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn). The Anglo-Saxons inserted the names of some Norse deities, by which we now name Tuesday through Friday: the war god Tiw (Old English for Tyr), Wodin (Odin), Thor, and fertility goddess Frigg.
    [Show full text]
  • SOCIAL NORMS in MEDIEVAL SCANDINAVIA Ii
    i SOCIAL NORMS IN MEDIEVAL SCANDINAVIA ii BEYOND MEDIEVAL EUROPE Beyond Medieval Europe publishes monographs and edited volumes that evoke medieval Europe’s geographic, cultural, and religious diversity, while highlighting the interconnectivity of the entire region, understood in the broadest sense— from Dublin to Constantinople, Novgorod to Toledo. The individuals who inhabited this expansive territory built cities, cultures, kingdoms, and religions that impacted their locality and the world around them in manifold ways. Series Editor Christian Alexander Raffensperger, Wittenberg University , Ohio Editorial Board K urt Villads Jensen, Stockholms Universitet Bal á zs Nagy, Central European University, Budapest Leonora Neville, University of Wisconsin , Madison iii SOCIAL NORMS IN MEDIEVAL SCANDINAVIA Edited by JAKUB MORAWIEC, ALEKSANDRA JOCHYMEK, AND GRZEGORZ BARTUSIK iv British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library © 2019, Arc Humanities Press, Leeds The authors assert their moral right to be identiied as the authors of their part of this work. Permission to use brief excerpts from this work in scholarly and educational works is hereby granted provided that the source is acknowledged. Any use of material in this work that is an exception or limitation covered by Article 5 of the European Union’s Copyright Directive (2001/ 29/ EC) or would be determined to be “fair use” under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act September 2010 page 2 or that satisies the conditions speciied in Section 108 of the U.S. Copyright Act (17 USC §108, as revised by P.L. 94– 553) does not require the Publisher’s permission.
    [Show full text]
  • The Scandinavians in Poland: a Re-Evaluation of Perceptions of the Vikings1
    Brathair 9 (2), 2009: 02-14. ISSN 1519-9053 The Scandinavians in Poland: a re-evaluation of perceptions of the Vikings1 Gregory Cattaneo PhD student student in Medieval History (cotutelle) Paris Sorbonne and University of Iceland [email protected] Resumo O presente artigo visa analisar as percepções dos vikings na Polônia em três níveis. As representações dos Vikings são primeiro desenvolvidas dentro do espectro da história e da identidade polonesa contemporâneas. Depois, através de um breve balanço historiográfico e arqueológico da situação geopolítica da Era Viking na Polônia. E finalmente, os Vikings são abordados através do imaginário geral, mais apresentado pelas coleções de museus e reconstruções históricas na Polônia. Palavras-chave: Redes de Identidades Vikings; Historiografia Polonesa; Turismo de Patrimônio Viking Abstract The present essay intends to analyse the perceptions of the Vikings in Poland following three levels. The Viking's representations are first developed under the scope of contemporary Polish history and identity. Then through a quick historiographical and archaeological overview of the geopolitical situation of Viking Age Poland. Finally, the Vikings are approached through the general imaginary, mostly presented by museum collections and historical reconstructions in Poland. Keywords: Viking identities network; Polish historiography; Viking heritage tourism http://www.brathair.com 2 Brathair 9 (2), 2009: 02-14. ISSN 1519-9053 Mentioning Poland in a publication dealing with Viking identities, diasporas and reception might be surprising. Even if western scholars are becoming more acquainted with the Scandinavian presence in some Eastern European countries like Russia, Poland is still looked upon as having a poor relation in Viking Age studies.
    [Show full text]