An anthropomorphic gold figure from Bornholm

Abstract

AN ANTHROPOMORPHIC GOLD FIGURE FROM BORNHOLM

Arrangement in 1974 of the British Museum's temporary new Early Medieval Room provided additional space for the transfer to public display of material from the reserve collections. It is the purpose of this brief note to draw attention to one piece: a small, anthropomorphic figure in sheet gold: MLA Old Acquisition No. 5798 (figs 1-2). For some considerable length of time the figure had been attached to a piece of card, which bears the handprinted text »Gold figure found ..... in the Island of Bornholm« together with the number AF 63, which signifies that the figure was at one time in the collection of Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks. Formerly Assistant in, and later Keeper of, the Department of British and Medieval Antiquities, he bequeathed his rich private collection to the Museum in 1897. Unfortunately no original catalogues or notes of the Franks collection survive: it is not possible to check when he acquired the object or the find circumstances or the reliability of the recorded provenance. The information is recorded in two different scripts using different inks, and the numbering system is earlier than the official registration. A series of mainly post-medieval amulets are mounted on similar cards. But there is no positive reason to doubt that genuine original information is incorporated in the manuscript record and there are no other obvious Danish pieces in this part of the collection which may have led to confusion.

During his long tenure of office Franks personally presented, or was instrumental in the Museum's acquisition of, Danish antiquities. Outstanding was the Museum's purchase in 1869 of almost 200 pieces from J.J. A. Worsaae. Franks did not retain prehistoric or strictly archaeological antiquities from Scandinavia for his personal collection, but maintained Danish contacts personally and through his departmental work. It is quite likely that either directly from Denmark or by purchase from another English collector, this piece entered his collection as an amulet. Among sparse Scandinavian archaeological material in his collection is a Viking gold finger-ring from Gotland without known find circumstances (AF 539); a Viking trefoil brooch apparently from Sjælland was presented by him to the Museum in 1873 (publication of both in preparation). Several famous English archaeologists were active collectors in Scandinavia, and through dealers further material was acquired. Perhaps detailed research among antiquarian papers will shed more light on the origins of these pieces. From Bornholm itself no immediate leads are available. Gold figures, like other past finds of gold made on the island, are known to have been illegally disposed of or lost. The B. M. figure does not correspond to any from the part-lost 1710 find of gold figures, engraved by von Melles (1) .

DESCRIPTION

The B. M. figure is of thin sheet gold, beaten out and displaying anvil marks on its surfaces. Its height is 44 mm, maximum breadth 16.5 mm, weight 0.75 g. The composition of the metal, determined by X-ray fluorescence from one cleaned area of the surface is:

gold c 46% silver c 49% copper c 5%

The composition is unusual in the experience of B. M. analyses of material of this period from Scandinavia (2). It is possible that this alloy is stronger and harder, hence more resistant to wear and stress, than one with a higher gold content. The two surfaces have a different character. On one side (figure facing left) a series of fine incised lines can be seen around and within its outline (fig. 1). On areas such as the waist, front of the legs, the multiplicity of lines may represent a very free-hand sketching-out, preparatory to final cutting. The number of crossings-over of lines would be explained thus.

The lines along the hands may be sketches for fingers which were never cut free. On the other side (figure facing right) fewer such lines are visible, and these are single, suggesting that they may be the remains of the sketch from which the figure was finally cut (fig. 2). There are few crossings of line on this side. The cutting appears to have been done with a bladed instrument, such as a knife, in irregular sections, the length of which was dependent on the shaping. Numerous irregularities and small tears along the edge of the figure suggest that it was not an efficient method of cutting. This might explain why the delicate separation of the fingers was not attempted, although sketched out. The figure has no clear indications of clothing or adornment that appear on other comparable pieces. On analogy with figures executed in repousse, or decorated with incised lines, the pronounced ridge at the forehead probably represents hair rather than a helmet. The projecting chin area may suggest a beard. The figure is a naturalistic, full-profile view with well proportioned limbs and emphasised head. There are no traces apparent of any means of fixing to cloth or leather, and the function remains obscure. It is uncertain that these figures are all finished products, and the contexts in which they are found (as below) may not be representative of their every primary function.

CHRONOLOGY

The piece is one of a category of figures, broadly grouped with other anthropomorphic representations in sheet gold, under the term »guldgubber«; there are a few indicators for the chronology of the single, cut-out, profile figures:

1. The Nørre Hvam (Ringkøbing) figures, pierced through the head for use as pendants; found with ring-gold and bracteates (3).
2. 3 figures from Hög Edsten (Bohuslän) fitted with suspension loops and found with ring-gold, pendants and spiral beads etc. (4).

In addition may be considered some of the sheet applique figures enriched with granulation or filigree from Swedish composite neckrings (5). The iconography of the bracteates might also be taken into consideration where full-profile anthropomorphic figures are depicted, and the range of conventions there overlap with those of the sheet figures.

A very generalised date within the Older Germanic Iron Age seems most acceptable on the basis of the limited evidence (6).

PARALLELS

Although many gold figures are found on Bornholm, the best parallels for the BM figure are unfortunately without provenance in the National Museum, Copenhagen. They are conveniently published and the numbering system there is used below (7). None of these has the mass of incised lines present on the BM example, and their outlines are more evenly cut. Formally, the closest parallel is no. 4. Although only 36 mm in height, it shares with the BM example several tricks of shaping and proportion, as well as retaining vestiges of its original marked-out form. Partly consequent upon variations in size the weights vary:

3: 0.6 g                                           4: 0.8 g                                           BM: 0.75 g

No. 4 has two parallel incised lines across the neck; the BM example bears an incised line (inexplicable in the scheme of marking out) and has a fold across the neck. No. 4 has short, parallel, incised lines at the truncated ends of the arms as in the BM example. Both in specific instances and general form the similarities between the two pieces are striking, especially considering the range of variation between the others. This might be explained by one being a copy of the other, or by their being made at the same time. If the BM piece is correctly provenanced, it throws a little new light on a well known group of material.

I should like to thank Mrs. J. Lang for metallographic information, Dr. M. Hughes and Mr. M. Cowell for the X-ray fluorescence analysis, all of the B. M. Research Laboratory; David Goodger of the M. L. A. Department for the drawings. The Keeper of the 1st Department of the National Museum, Copenhagen for access to comparative material and detailed information on finds there; Miss E. Munksgaard and Professor Ole Klindt-Jensen for discussing comparative material.

Dafydd Kidd