Category: Fibula

Fragments of neck ring, pin, arm ring and fibula B7000/a-f

Foto: Svein Skare © Universitetsmuseet i Bergen, CC BY-SA 4.0

Two fragments of twisted ring of Wendel type, with sharp ribs. Some of the ribs are broken. One end is missing, otherwise the ring is complete. The ring was broken before deposition, and repaired by drilling holes on both sides of the break and threading a leather thong through them. When the ring was found and handed in to the museum, the strap was still attached to the ring, but has now been removed. There is a small piece of bronze near the break, which appears to be a later addition or possible repair, as there is a small crack in the ribs here. Dark green patina, corroded in places. Width: 17.5 cm. B7000/a.

Four fragments of twisted ring of Wendel type, with sharp ribs, similar to B7000/a. The fragments may be from one or possibly two rings, although the shape and patina indicate that the fragments are from one ring. Dark green patina, the fragments are corroded. Some ribs are damaged. The fragments measure approx. 17 cm, 9.5 cm, 6 cm and 6.2 cm. Width: c. 18 cm. B7000/b.

Two fragments of twisted ring of Wendel type, with sharp ribs. The fragments are thinner than B7000/a-b. Green patina, corroded and possibly burnt. The fragments measure 6 and 6.3 cm. B7000/c.

Arm ring with trumpet-shaped ends. It has a rhombic cross-section. Dark green patina. Similar to Baudou’s type XIX D 1 a. Width: c. 7 cm. B7000/d.

Pin with disc-shaped head. The needle itself is missing and part of the head is damaged. It has a conical point in the middle, surrounded by five concentric rings in relief. Part of the needle, where it is attached to the head, is preserved. Dark green patina. Baudou’s type B 2 c (Härnavi type). Width: c. 7.5 cm. B7000/e.

Fragment of a spectacle-shaped fibula, fragment of an oval disc. It is decorated with kidney-shaped concentric relief bands. The outer edge has a line decoration consisting of oblique lines; and between this border and the first relief band there is a border of small dots. Baudou’s type XXIV E 3a. Like Montelius Minnen fig. 1345. Width: c. 11 cm. B7000/f.

Location: Skjerdalen (no. 35/1), Gloppen, Sogn & Fjordane

Context: Found near a large rock, approx. 30 cm deep, on a rocky slope approx. 200-300 m.a.s.l. The area has high mountains and steep mountain sides. There was a circular area of ​​dark blue or black soil where the objects were found, and this may have been urns or possibly the remains of a container, e.g. wood or leather.

Dating: The collection is dated to the Younger Bronze Age period 6. The needle and fibula are dated to period 5-6, the bracelet probably period 6, and the Wendel rings are period 6.

Fibula B448

Foto: Ann Mari Olsen © Universitetsmuseet i Bergen, CC BY-SA 4.0

Fibula with flat hourglass-shaped pin head, and spiral ending of the bow. Both the pin and the bow are broken in two; part of the bow is missing. Green patina, most of the pin and bow are corroded. Parallels: Montelius Minnen fig. 974. Length: c. 11 cm

Location:
Svanøy (no. 117), Flora, Sogn & Fjordane

Context:
Found in a stone cist in a mound in 1842 at Svanøy Hovedgård on Svanøy. There were traces of a woolen fabric on the fibula when it was found, the fabric is gone. The coffin also contained around 50 small egg-shaped stones, described as marble. Five stones were apparently brought to the museum but are now lost. No information about the construction of the mound or cist.

Date:
Fibulae with hourglass pin heads date to Early Bronze Age Period 2, although they also continue in use into Period 3.

Dagger, razor, fibula, button, tweezer B5952/a-e

Dagger. It has a triangular hilt plate, the blade has a marked center rib, and there are some notches along the sides. The blade is corroded. Length: 26.3 cm. B5952/a.

Small razor with horse head-shaped handle. The blade is curved, the end is broken. The handle is long, slender and curved, and ends in a horse’s head. There is no other decoration. Length: c. 7 cm. B5952/b.

Complete fibula with disc-shaped head and spiral ends. There is weak decoration on the hoop: slanted, twisted lines. The fibula is heavily corroded. Length: 9.7 cm. B5952/c.

Double button, consisting of two disks connected by a short rod. The upper plate is domed and decorated: a star in the center, surrounded by parallel lines. Part of the disc is damaged. The double button is corroded. Width: 2.7 cm. B5952/d.

Decorated tweezers. The bow is broken. There is a thin line and two rows of triangles running from the bow to the mouth of the tweezers. The decoration is weak due to wear and corrosion. Length: 9.3 cm. B5952/e.

Photo: Svein Skare © University Museum in Bergen, CC BY-SA 4.0

Location:
Gunnarshaug, Karmøy, Rogaland

Context:
Found in a mound, «Kubbhaug», excavated by Shetelig and Brøgger in 1905. The mound was 17 x 2.7 m and was built of earth, with a layer of round stones at the bottom. The remains of a disturbed curb could be seen near the edge of the mound. An inner coffin was found NW of the centre, it measured 3.5 x 2.7 m, height 0.85 m. The coffin covered a brick chamber, 1.8 x 0.6 m, 0.4 m deep. The bottom was covered with small stones and bark. A cranium was found at the northern end of the coffin, other bones were found in the middle.

Date:
The collection can be dated to the Early Bronze Age period 3.

Fibula, knife, sword and bone B5765/a-c

Fibula with an hourglass-like shape on the head and spiral ends. Most of the needle is missing; the loop is broken at one end. The fibula is heavily corroded. Length: 9.5 cm. B5765/a.

Small frame-handled knife with an oval, flat end. The tip is missing. The blade is asymmetrical. The knife is green and corroded. Length: 9 cm. B5765/b.

Flange-hilted sword. The blade has a marked, round central rib. The sides are damaged and the tip is broken. The shaft is broken, one fragment is preserved. There are two rivets on the top of the blade, and four rivets on the shaft. The wear on the blade indicates that the shaft was crescent-shaped. The sword is heavily corroded. Length: c. 30 cm. B5765/c.

A collection of bones (no museum number).

Photo: Svein Skare

Location:
Storasund, Karmøy, Rogaland

Context:
Found in a mound in 1902. The burial was documented by an amateur archaeologist while the landowner removed the mound, which measured 20 x 2.5 m. A stone coffin was found at the bottom of the mound; it measured 1.9 x 0.45 m and was 0.46-0.47 m deep, built of four large slabs and covered by two slabs. The bottom was covered with stones with a layer of beach sand and moss on top. Inside were unburnt bones, a fibula (B5765/a) and a knife (B5765/b). The fibula was found in the center of the grave, one end in the sand, while the knife was found in the southern end. A sword (B5765/c) was found in the fill about 0.5 m from the top of the mound. An iron sickle and burnt bones were reportedly found in this mound.

Date:
Early Bronze Age period 3

Fibula, dagger with bone handle and wood hilt, bone og urn B5000/a-c

Photo: Svein Skare © Universitetsmuseet i Bergen, CC BY-SA 4.0

Fibula with round head and loop with spiral end. Both spirals are broken, one is preserved. The fibula is heavily corroded. Length: c.9.9 cm. B5000/a.

Dagger with button, fragments of bone, wooden sheath and bark. The blade is green and corroded, with straight, parallel sides and a marked midrib. The tip is broken. The blade expands towards the hilt, which has a tongue-shaped shank plate with three rivet holes. There is a rivet in the top rivet hole. Length: 25.5 cm. The handle button is round/oval with a central round pin surrounded by a border of vertical, parallel lines and six spirals. The mouth is partially damaged. Width: c. 4 cm Fragments of a bone shaft are preserved. According to the report, the party ended in a crescent shape; there were two (false?) rivets in addition to the three rivets corresponding to the holes in the shaft plate, and the remains of a loop near the handle knob. Fragments of a wooden scabbard, found under the dagger. One of the fragments has a hole and a bronze nail still embedded. The longest wood fragments are approx. 11.5 cm; there is corroded bronze on one fragment. Pieces of bark were found under the dagger and sheath. A sample of charcoal and cremated bones has been preserved. B5000/b.

Shard of an urn, hardened with ground quartz or coarse sand. The shards have a reddish surface inside and out. Some shards have been glued together. The shards are for a pot with a convex body and concave rim. There is no decoration. The surface is uneven. The original height was probably approx. 20-25 cm and the diameter approx. 15-20 cm. B5000/c.

Location:
Holen, Time, Rogaland

Context:
Found in a burial mound excavated by Gustafson. The mound was 16 m across and had a height of approx. 1.5 m. A stone coffin made of slabs, approx. 2.15 m long and 45-50 cm wide, 80 cm deep, was found southeast of the center. It was empty down to a depth of 30 cm; it was filled with earth, small stones and gravel. At a depth of 35 cm, the fibula and dagger as well as the outline of unburnt bones were found. The bronze was found in the northern part of the coffin. At the bottom of the coffin, fragments of an urn were found in one place. Pieces of cremated bones and charcoal were found in the fill in several places in the mound.

Date:
The fibula is dated to Early Bronze Age Early Period 2, the dagger is Period 2. It is difficult to give the urn an exact date, presumably Period 2, although it may be a later addition.

Neck collar, fibula and belt plate B4320/a-c

Photo: Svein Skare © Universitetsmuseet i Bergen, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Svein Skare © Universitetsmuseet i Bergen, CC BY-SA 4.0

Ribbed neck collar. It has nine ribs that are weak due to corrosion. The ends are straight but damaged. The collar was broken in two and has been repaired at the museum. Width: c. 9.5 cm, the band measures 4 cm. B4320/a.

Belt plate with central, conical boss. The plate is thin and damaged around the edges; some fragments have been broken off and glued together, while some parts are missing. There is a small loop at the back of the plate, which is slightly raised towards the middle. There are seven belts of decoration, starting with parallel lines alternating with vertical parallel lines, followed by a row of large running spirals, then parallel lines and vertical lines, a row of running spirals, vertical parallel lines and parallel lines, a row of running spirals, ending in parallel lines and vertical lines around the base of the pin, which has no decoration. Width: 18.8 cm. B4320/b.

Fibula, fragment. The bow of a fibula; the pin is kept at the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo (C 123457). The bow consists of a flat and thin sheet of bronze, ending in a square section where a thin bronze rod is inserted into small holes coiles to each side, and the square section continues into an bow that secures the pin. The sheet is decorated with parallel lines and triangles. The other end of the fibula is missing. Golden in color, there are some notches along the edges of the bow. The fibula is known as a Terramara fibula and probably originated in Italy. B4320/c.

Location:
Vigrestad, Hå, Rogaland

Context:
There is very little information about the context. Several items were found at Vigrestad and sold; later the objects were sold to the museums in Bergen and Oslo. The pin belonging to the fibula is in the museum in Oslo (C 13457) as well two belt plate (C 12349) and two belt plates (C 12350). The pin is said to have come from a burial, while the belt plates were found in the ground. There is no other information about the buriall. Thus, it appears that B4320/a-c is a burial assemblage.

Date:
All three objects can be dated to the Early Bronze Age period 2.

Belt plate, arm ring and fibula B3322/a-c

Foto: Svein Skare © Universitetsmuseet i Bergen, CC BY-SA 4.0

Decorated belt plate with central, conical boss. The edge is damaged, and the loop on the back is broken. The boss is decorated with horizontal parallel ribs, while the plate has parallel lines around the edge, a belt of large running spirals, a belt of parallel lines followed by a belt of smaller running spirals, and parallel lines. There are vertical parallel lines and zigzags around the base of the boss. The decoration is weak due to corrosion. Width: 14.2 cm. B3322/a.

Two ribbed bracelets, with nine ribs and straight ends. Every second rib has small parallel lines that slope either to the left or to the right. One of the bracelets is broken in several places; the fragments are glued together. Golden-red with some corrosion, otherwise the bracelets are well preserved. Width: 7 cm across, the bands measure 3.8 cm. B3322/b.

Fibula with cross-headed pin head and a bow with spiral ends. It is heavily corroded. Length: 9.4 cm. B3322/c.

Location:
Særheim, Klepp, Rogaland

Context:
Found in a burial in a mound, with a diameter of c. 26 m. The mound was excavated by Bendixen in 1879, and the excavation revealed a complex arrangement. The inner mound was surrounded by a narrow ditch and what appears to have been a kerb or terrace, about 2.5 m wide. There was a central cairn, 14 m across and covered by a thin layer of soil, with a layer of stone on top and finally a layer of turf. The stone layer was up to 3.5 m thick. The inner cairn covered two smaller cairns that each contained a stone cist. The smallest cist measured 1 m and was built from slabs. It contained charcoal and cremated bones. The second cist was found in the centre of the mound; it measured 2 m, the sides were built of small flat slabs while the ends were two large stones with flat sides. The bottom was covered by small round pebbles. The belt plate was found in the centre, with a bracelet on both sides, while the fibula was found in one corner of the cist, to the right of where the head would have been. Thus the artefacts were placed in an anatomically correct position .

Date:
The collection is dated to the Early Bronze Age period 2.

Fragment of fibula B2845

Fragment of fibula. The pin head and bow ends are missing, so there are no diagnostic features. Green patina, both fragments are corroded. The pin measures 8.2 cm, the fragment of the bow 3.7 cm.

Location:
Kleppe, Klepp, Rogaland

Context:
Found in 1872 in a large mound at Høybakken. The mound had a central cairn, where a 5-foot chamber was found, built of small flat stones and covered with slabs. The grave contained cremated bones and a belt plate (B2844 and B2845). The bones were in the southern corner, the belt plate in the eastern corner, while the fibula was in the center of the grave.

Date:
Early Bronze Age period 2-3, as found in the same burial as B2844.

Fibula B449

Fibula with hourglass-shaped flat pin head and decorated bow. The ends of the bow are broken; it may have had spiral ends. The bow has striped decoration, while the hourglass has horizontal lines. Golden color, there is some corrosion. The needle: 12.7 cm. Bow: 11.5 cm

Context:
Found in a burial mound at Sola in 1834, no other information. It was allegedly found along with B906-909: two daggers, a sword button and a razor blade. This cannot be confirmed, as the original catalog mentions that the finds may have come from several piles.

Location:
Sola, Sola comm., Rogaland

Date:
Fibulae with hourglass pin heads date to Period 2, although they continue into Period 3.

Fibula B3678

Fragmented fibula with spiral (B3678). Only a small fragment of the spiral’s upper part and the pin are preserved today, but the arch was apparently present when the fibula was found. The needle has a dark green patina with some golden spots and some corrosion, while the coil and fragment are corroded. Length: 7.4 cm Width: 1.2 cm (spiral) Photo: Svein Skare © University Museum in Bergen, CC BY-SA 4.0

Context:
Found in a small cist in a cairn. The cist contained burnt bones and the fibula. According to Per Fett (1951), it is possible that the find was made on another farm, Hatlebrekke (no. 57) and that due to a misunderstanding it was attributed to Ristesund; but the find definitely came from a burial, which was not professionally excavated.

Location:
Ristesund (gnr. 61), Sande, Møre & Romsdal

Date:
Fibulae of this type are generally dated to Early Bronze Age period 2 or 3. As the pin head is not preserved, a more precise dating cannot be given.