Danish Journal of Archaeology

https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/issue/feed Danish Journal of Archaeology 2025-01-30T10:32:02+01:00 Rune Iversen runeiversen@hum.ku.dk Open Journal Systems The Danish Journal of Archaeology is dedicated to the presentation, discussion and interpretation of the archaeological record of southern Scandinavia in its international, regional and local context https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/143409 Organizing Warriors in the 6th and 7th century AD 2024-10-03T11:15:32+02:00 Jens Molter Ulriksen ju@museerne.dk

Late Germanic Iron Age weapon burials from Bornholm, Denmark, have been used to suggest the presence of a Merovingian inspired organization of warriors including conscripts. This article compares these burials’ inventory, focusing on the first part of the Late Ger- manic Iron Age (AD 520-630), to the distribution of similar types of metal stray-finds. Mapping the stray-finds from Bornholm indicates the whereabouts of the warriors and it is discussed whether this can contribute to a plausible representation of warriors and a geographically rooted organization of warriors. This evidence is tested on equivalent stray-find material from Sjælland and adjacent islands where weapon burials are almost absent. The study shows a difference between the burial inventory and the stray-finds regarding relative numbers of specific object types, and it is clear that the standardized set of weapons originally assumed to picture the conscripted warrior cannot be found. It is proposed that answers to how, why and in what numbers armed men were gathered are to be found in a combination of the martial mentality and ideology of the society in general and in a social code of conduct with mutual obligations between free men and leaders and between leaders of different ranks.

2025-01-30T00:00:00+01:00 Copyright (c) 2025 Jens Molter Ulriksen https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/148837 Local Variations in Swordsmanship 2024-11-01T12:47:41+01:00 Gustav Solberg mnb243@alumni.ku.dk Andreas Jæger Manøe Schäfler asc@natmus.dk

This study is centered around local variations in swordsmanship in Bronze Age Denmark. This is studied through Metalwork Wear Analysis (MWA) of eight Early Bronze Age swords and one spearhead from Jutland, three of which were studied in greater detail. The material is primarily from period II and III from Aalborg Amt. Results show high levels of swordsmanship but also demonstrate a remarkable difference in wear mark distribution and clustering. Two contemporary but distinct styles of fencing with swords are therefore suggested through MWA. MWA of the spearhead showed signs of slashing use, which shows that the notion of spears being only thrusting weapons, is too simplistic. Finally, the general results of the MWA have been put into its European context, by comparing the patterns to ones from Italy and Britain. The material studied showed different clustering patterns than seen in Italy in Britain. Furthermore, it is suggested that Northern Jutland fencing style was less focused on the binding of sword blades, as well as being based more on sword versus spear combat, than sword versus sword combat, as is the case in Britain and Italy.

2025-02-27T00:00:00+01:00 Copyright (c) 2025 Gustav Solberg, Andreas Schäfler https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/151065 The potential of overlooked material in museum repositories 2024-11-22T12:57:34+01:00 Malou Blank malou.blank.backlund@gu.se Anna Tornberg anna.tornberg@ark.lu.se Chris Mark chris.mark@nrm.se

In this article we aim to highlight the potential of forgotten grave materials in our museum depositories for gaining insights into prehistoric life. By applying a multi-proxy approach to the skeletal remains of two graves of uncertain types from Falbygden in western Sweden, we were able to acquire new knowledge of burial practices, subsistence, health and mobility in Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age communities. One of the studied graves proved to be the earliest attested gallery grave in the area, while the other is one of the few known graves from the first period of the Bronze Age. The results indicate that some overlooked excavated materials in our depositories might stem from certain time periods from which we think archaeological remains are lacking and/or from practices which are not fully understood. These remains may prove to be important for our understanding of prehistoric societies when thoroughly studied combining archaeological, osteological, biochemical and geochemical methods.