Ønlev-kvinden - en højstatus kvindegrav med et kirurgisk redskab fra yngre romersk jernalder (225-250 e.Kr.)

Resumé

During 2017 – 2019, the Museum Sønderjylland
– Arkæologi excavated a site (31.710 m2)
located at Kassø (Rødekro) in advance of building
activities. A female grave, which promised
to be quite interesting due to her grave goods,
was found here. The deceased was buried with
grave goods consisting of pottery, glass and
amber beads, copper alloy brooches, a silver
brooch, a knife in a special scabbard, and an
artefact which is interpreted as a surgical instrument.
Analyses and comparisons of grave
goods indicate the social status of the female,
probably also of her origin, as well as the date
of the grave to C1 b (225 – 250 AD). The surgical
instrument is analysed, interpreted, and
discussed in detail. It is argued that the Ønlev-
grave is the only known Iron Age grave,
found outside the Roman Empire, which we
may assume to be the grave of a physician dating
to the period 225 – 250 AD.