The Ambiguous Boeslunde Figure
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7146/dja.v10i0.123327Keywords:
Amulets, symbolism, Freyja, Norse religion, Iron Age mythologyAbstract
This article presents a unique female figure found in Boeslunde, Zealand, Denmark. It stands at just 1.5 cm and is made of gilded silver with remarkably refined details. The date of the figure is discussed based on details of her garments, accessories, and hairstyle and she is compared to other archaeological representations and finds. Based on these criteria, a dating to the Late Iron Age/Early Viking Age is proposed. Her function is likewise discussed. By means of an examination of parallel finds, the figure’s function as a gaming piece or garment accessory has been ruled out. It is argued that she functioned as an amulet and her features are evaluated and discussed. Contemplating the figure from a ritual perspective, her necklace appears to be a significant attribute, an observation which has great implications for other representations such as the Odin-from-Lejre figure. It is, further considered whether her necklace is a representation of Freyja´s Brisingamen, and the little figure thus a depiction of Freyja, herself. Lastly, the intentionally differentiated shape and size of her eyes and their symbolic meaning is evaluated, and parallels are examined and discussed.
References
Arrhenius, B., 1962. Det flammande Smycket. Fornvännen 57, 79-101.
Arrhenius, B., 2001. Beliefs behind the use of polychrome jewellery. In: B. Magnus (ed). Roman gold and the development of the Early Germanic Kingdoms: aspects of technical, socio-political, socio-economic, artistic and intellectual development, A.D. 1-550, Kungl. Vitterhet Hist. och Ant. Akad. Konferenser 51. Stockholm: Alqvist & Wiksell International, 297-310.
Arrhenius, B., 2009. Brisingamen and the Menet necklace. In: U. von Freeden, H. Friesinger and E. Wamers (eds). Glaube, Kult und Herrschaft: Phänomene des Religiösen im 1. Jahrtausend n. Chr. in Mittel- und Nordeuropa; Akten des 59. Internationalen Sachsensymposions und der Grundprobleme der frühgeschichtlichen Entwicklung im Mitteldonauraum. Kolloquien zur Vor- und Frühgeschichte, bd. 12. Bonn: R. Habelt, 219-30.
Arrhenius, B. and Freij, H., 1992. ‘Pressbleck’ Fragments from the East Mound in Old Uppsala Analysed with a Laser Scanner. Laborativ Arkeologi, 6, 75-110.
Arwill-Nordbladh, E., 2008. Aska och Rök – Om minne och materiell kultur i nordisk vikingatid. In: B. Persson and P. Skoglund (eds). Arkeologi och identitet. Lund: Lunds Universitet, 169-188.
Arwill-Nordbladh, E., 2013. Negotiating normativities – Odin from Lejre as challenger of hegemonic orders. Danish Journal of Archaeology 2013-14, 87-93. https://doi.org/10.1080/21662282.2013.791131
Arwill-Nordbladh, E., 2016. Viking Age Hair. Internet Archaeology 42. https://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue42/6/8.cfm [accessed 2 December 2020] http://dx.doi.org/10.11141/ia.42.6.8.
Axboe, M., 1986. Brisingamen – også et arkæologisk problem. Danske Studier 1986, 81. bind, syvende række 9. bind, 116-121.
Caldwell, D.H., Hall M.A. and Wilkinson C.M., 2009. The Lewis Hoard of Gaming Pieces: A Re-examination of their Context, Meanings, Discovery and Manufacture. Medieval archaeology 53 (1), 155-203. https://doi.org/10.1179/007660909X12457506806243.
Christensen, T., 2002. Kongens mand – guld og hjelm fra Gevninge. In: J. Pind, U. Lund Hansen (eds). Drik – og du vil leve skønt: festskrift til Ulla Lund Hansen på 60-årsdagen 18. august 2002. Studies in archaeology and history, vol. 7. København: National Museum, 41-45.
Christensen, T., 2009. Odin fra Lejre. Romu 2009, 7-25.
Christensen, T., 2010. Gudefigur. Skalk 2(2), 3-10.
Christensen, T., 2013. A silver figurine from Lejre. Danish Journal of Archaeology 2(1), 65-78. https://doi.org/10.1080/21662282.2013.808403.
Dobat, A.S., 2006. The king and his cult: the axe-hammer from Sutton Hoo and its implications for the concept of sacral leadership in early medieval Europe. Antiquity 80(310), 880-893. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003598X00094485.
Faulkes, A., 2004. Edda. Reissued with new chronology and Synopsis, Reprint. London: The everyman library.
Franceschi, G., Magnus, B. and Jorn, A., 2005. Fuglen, dyret og mennesket i nordisk jernalderkunst. 10000 års nordisk folkekunst. Silkeborg: Borgen.
Glørstad, Z.T. and Røstad, I.M., 2020. Echoes of the Past: Women, Memories and Disc-on-Bow Brooches in Vendel- and Viking-period Scandinavia. European Journal of Archaeology, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1017/eaa.2020.23.
Graham-Campbell, J., 1980. Viking artefacts: a select catalogue. London: British Museum Publications.
Grøn, O., 1994. Vikingetidsgravpladser på Langeland. Meddelelser fra Langelands Museum. Rudkøbing: Langelands Museum.
Gräslund, A.-S., 2008. The material culture of old norse religion. In: S. Brink and N. Price (eds). The Viking world. London: Routledge, 249-256.
Hall, M.A., 2016., Board Games in Boat Burials: Play in the Performance of Migration and Viking Age Mortuary Practice. European Journal of Archaeology 19(3), 439-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/14619571.2016.1175774.
Hedeager Krag, A., 2003. Herskersymboler i dragten fra Danmarks yngre jernalder og vikingetid. In: A. Hedeager Krag (ed). Dragt og magt. København: Museum Tusculanum, 63-77.
Hedeager, L., 2015. For the Blind Eye Only? Scandinavian Gold Foils and the Power of Small Things. Norwegian Archaeological Review 48(2), 129-51. https://doi.org/10.1080/00293652.2015.1104516
Helgesson, B., 2004. Tributes to Be Spoken Of: Sacrifice and Warriors at Uppåkra. In: L. Larsson (ed). Continuity for Centuries: a ceremonial building and its context at Uppåkra, southern Sweden. Uppåkrastudier 10. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell, 223-39.
Helmbrecht, M., 2011. Wirkmächtige Kommunikationsmedien: Menschenbilder der Vendel- und Wikingerzeit und ihre Kontexte. Lund: Lunds universitet.
Henriksen, M.B., and Petersen, P. V., 2013. Valkyriefund. Skalk 2, 3-10.
Jensen, J., 2003. Danmarks oldtid. Ældre jernalder 400 f.Kr.-500 e.Kr. København: Gyldendals Bogklubber.
Jensen J., 2006. Danmarks oldtid. Yngre jernalder og vikingetid 400 e.Kr-1050 e.Kr. København: Gyldendals Bogklubber.
Nørgård Jørgensen, A. and Jørgensen, L., 1997. Nørre Sandegård Vest: a cemetery from the 6th-8th centuries on Bornholm. Nordiske fortidsminder, Serie B, vol. 14. København: Det Kongelige Nordiske Oldskriftselskab.
Kaland, S., 1992. Drakt og smykker. In: E. Roesdahl (ed). Viking og Hvidekrist. Norden og Europa 800-1200, Nordisk Tidskrift för vetenskap, konst och industri, 68. København/Strasbourg: Nordisk Ministerråd, 589.
Kastholm, O., Nielsen, J. and Jensen, B., 2017. Lille Karlebyskatten. Skalk 6, 10-17.
Lassen, A., 2003. Øjet og blindheden i norrøn litteratur og mytologi. UJDS-studier, 13. København: Museum Tusculanum.
Lind, B., 1984. Ellegaard – en bornholmsk kvindegrav fra yngre germansk jernalder med smykkeopsætning. Hikuin 10, 247-60.
Lund, J. and Moen, M., 2019. Hunting Identities: Intersectional perspectives on Viking Age mortuary expressions. Fennoscandia archaeologica XXXVI, 137-50.
Lønborg, B., 1999. Vikingetidens kvindedragter. Kuml 1999, 259-67.
Mannering, U., 2013. Man or woman? Perception of gender through costume. Danish Journal of Archaeology 2(1), 79-86. https://doi.org/10.1080/21662282.2012.760893.
Mannering, U., 2017. Iconic Costumes: Scandinavian Late Iron Age Costume Iconography. Ancient Textiles Series Vol. 25. Oxford: Oxbow Books.
Marold, E., 1998. Die Augen des Herrschers. In: D. Meier (ed). Beretning fra syttende tværfaglige vikingesymposium. Hikuin: Højberg, 7-29.
Michaelsen, K.K., 1992. Bræt og brik: spil i jernalderen. Højbjerg: Wormianum.
Mückenberger, K., 2012: Den enøjede. Skalk 6, 2012, 11-15.
Nielsen, H., 1997. Et regionalt rigedomscenter i Sydvestsjælland. In: J. Callmer and E. Rosengren, – gick grendel att söka det höga huset – arkeologiska källor till aristokratiska miljöer i Skandinavien under yngre järnålder, rapport från ett seminarium i Falkenberg 16-17 november 1995. Halmstad: Halland länsmuseer, 55-70.
Näsström, B., 1995. Freyja: the great goddess of the north. Lund studies in history of religions 5. Lund: University of Lund, Department in History of Religions.
Pedersen, A., 2009. Amulette und Amulettsitte der jüngeren Eisen- und Wikingerzeit in Südskandinavien. In: U. von Freeden, H. Friesinger and E. Wamers (eds). Glaube, Kult und Herrschaft: Phänomene des Religiösen im 1. Jahrtausend n. Chr. in Mittel- und Nordeuropa; Akten des 59. Internationalen Sachsensymposions und der Grundprobleme der frühgeschichtlichen Entwicklung im Mitteldonauraum. Kolloquien zur Vor- und Frühgeschichte, Bd. 12. Bonn: R. Habelt, 289-302.
Pedersen, A., 2013. Magt og Aristokrati. In: G. Williams, P. Pentz, and M. Wemhoff (eds). Viking. København: Nationalmuseet, 122-161.
Pesch, A., 2015. Die Kraft der Tiere: völkerwanderungszeitliche Goldhalskragen und die Grundsätze germanischer Kunst. Kataloge vor- und frühgeschichtlicher Altertümer, Bd. 47. Mainz: Verlag des Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseums.
Petersen, K.S., 1994. Danish Niello Inlays from the Iron Age: A Technological Investigation. Journal of Danish Archaeology Vol. 12(1), 133-149. https://doi.org/10.1080/0108464X.1995.10590090
Petersen, P.V., 2005. Odins fugle, valkyrier og bersærker. In: T. Capelle, C. Fischer, and M. Axboe (eds). Ragnarok, Odins verden. Silkeborg: Silkeborg Museum, 57-86
Price, N., 2019. The Viking Way: Magic and Mind in Late Iron Age Scandinavia. Oxford: Oxbow Books.
Price, N., Hedenstierna-Jonson, C., Zachrisson, T., Kjellström A., Storå, J., Krzewińska, M., Günther, T., Sobrado, V., Jakobsson, M. and Götherström, A., 2019. Viking warrior women? Reassessing Birka chamber grave Bj.581. Antiquity 93(367), 181-198. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2018.258.
Price, N., and Mortimer, P., 2014. An Eye for Odin? Divine Role-Playing in the Age of Sutton Hoo. European Journal of Archaeology 17(3), 517-538. https://doi.org/10.1179/1461957113Y.0000000050.
Ramskou, T., 1976. Noget om hår og skæg. København: Nationalmuseet.
Raudvere, C., 2002. Trolldómr in Early Medieval Scandinavia. In: B. Ankarloo and S. Clark (eds). Witchcraft and Magic in Europe. 3. The Middle Ages. The Athlone History of Witchcraft and Magic in Europe, 3. London: The Athlone Press, 73-171.
Ringstad, B., 1996. En underlig steinfigur fra Tornes i Romsdal. Viking 1996(59). Oslo, 59-101.
Schietzel, K., 2014. Spurensuche Haithabu: archäologische Spurensuche in der frühmittelalterlichen Ansiedlung Haithabu: Dokumentation und Chronik 1963-2013. Neumünster: Wachholtz.
Schou Jørgensen, M., 1975. Guld fra Nordvestsjælland. Holbæk: Holbæk Amts Sparekasse.
Skaarup, J., 1976. Stengade II: en langelandsk gravplads med grave fra romersk jernalder og vikingetid. Meddelelser fra Langelands Museum. Rudkøbing: Langelands Museum.
Sundqvist, O., 2002. Freyr’s offspring: rulers and religion in ancient Svea society. Historia Religionum 21, 2nd edition. Uppsala: Uppsala University Press.
Sundqvist, O., 2012. Religious Ruler Ideology’ in Pre-Christian Scandinavia: A Contextual Approach. In: C. Raudvere and J. P. Schjødt (eds). More than Mythology: Narratives, Ritual Practices and Regional Distribution in Pre-Christian Scandinavian Religions. Lund: Nordic Academic Press, 225-261.
Vennersdorf, M., Gottlieb, B. and Schnell, U., 2006. Smykker fra Smørenge: endnu et spændende fund fra Bornholms yngre jernalder. Nationalmuseets Arbejdsmark, 167-183.
Whittaker, H., 2006. Game-boards and gaming-pieces in the Northern European Iron Age. In: G. Williams, P. Pentz and M. Wemhoff (eds). 2013. Viking. København: Nationalmuseet.
Williams, G., Pentz, P., Wemhoff, M., (eds.) 2013. Viking. København: Nationalmuseet.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Counting from volume 11 (2022), articles published in DJA are licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). The editorial board may accept other Creative Commons licenses for individual articles, if required by funding bodies e.g. the European Research Council. With the publication of volume 11, authors retain copyright to their articles and give DJA the right to the first publication. The authors retain copyright to earlier versions of the articles, such as the submitted and the accepted manuscript.
Articles in volume 1-8 are not licensed under Creative Commons. In these volumes, all rights are reserved to DJA. This implies that readers can download, read, and link to the articles, but they cannot republish the articles. Authors can upload their articles in an institutional repository as a part of a green open access policy.
Articles in volume 9-10 are not licensed under Creative Commons. In these volumes, all rights are reserved to the authors of the articles respectively. This implies that readers can download, read, and link to the articles, but they cannot republish the articles. Authors can upload their articles in an institutional repository.
