The provenance and technology of Iron Age war booty from southern Scandinavia
Across southern Scandinavia are some 30 known weapon depositions made in former lakes from the Roman Iron Age (0-375 CE), seven of which are large-scale war booty sacrifices entailing material culture from whole defeated armies. The major weapon deposits contain spears, lances, shields, swords, knives and other militaria, representing a colossal sum of iron â at one site, some 6000 objects totalling 500kg of iron metal. This thesis presents an enquiry into the provenance of the iron used to make these weapons. The aim was to learn more about the origins of the armies through provenancing their weapons. Using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), as well as other analytical techniques, this study analysed 13 lances, a single spear and 10 knives from two of the main weapon deposits, and was able to demonstrate regional and subregional provenance hypotheses for each item. The results demonstrate that the iron used in weapon manufacture originated from across Scandinavia, notably Norway and Jutland. The sampled weapons were studied metallographically, showing the lances to be highly standardised weapon products made in a single workshop by distinguished crafstpeople. The knives
Birch, Thomas
Enemy property ; Iron Age
The provenance and technology of Iron Age war booty from southern Scandinavia. Across southern Scandinavia are some 30 known weapon depositions made in former lakes from the Roman Iron Age (0-375 CE), seven of which are large-scale war booty sacrifices entailing material culture from whole defeated armies. The major weapon deposits contain spears, lances, shields, swords, knives and other militaria, representing a colossal sum of iron â at one site, some 6000 objects totalling 500kg of iron metal. This thesis presents an enquiry into the provenance of the iron used to make these weapons. The aim was to learn more about the origins of the armies through provenancing their weapons. Using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), as well as other analytical techniques, this study analysed 13 lances, a single spear and 10 knives from two of the main weapon deposits, and was able to demonstrate regional and subregional provenance hypotheses for each item. The results demonstrate that the iron used in weapon manufacture originated from across Scandinavia, notably Norway and Jutland. The sampled weapons were studied metallographically, showing the lances to be highly standardised weapon products made in a single workshop by distinguished crafstpeople. The knives
provenance technology iron_age war southern_scandinavia across southern_scandinavia know weapon deposition make former lake roman iron_age large_scale war sacrifice entail material_culture whole defeat army major weapon deposit contain spear shield sword knife represent sum iron site object total iron metal present enquiry provenance iron use make weapon aim learn origins army provenancing weapon using laser inductively couple plasma mass_spectrometry la_icp well analytical_technique study analyse single spear knife two_main weapon deposit able regional provenance hypothesis item iron use weapon manufacture originate across scandinavia notably norway sample weapon study show highly standardise weapon product make single workshop distinguish knife