Three fragments of a riveted sword. There are six rivet holes; the bottom two holes are almost gone as the shaft plate is damaged around the edge. There is a marked midrib, and the blade widens before tapering and converging towards the tip, which is missing. The fragments are heavily corroded, although some patches of green patina remain. The sword is a Sögel type. Current length: 28.6 cm (B05469/a)
Complete palstave with long and slender blade and decoration, a so-called weapon palstave. The ax is heavily corroded. However, faint remains of decoration can be seen on the side facets and blade. There are parallel horizontal lines and oblique lines (possibly hatched triangles) on the sides of the neck. The transition to the blade is marked with parallel horizontal lines and a rib, and on the blade there is a triangle or Y shape consisting of double lines. The sides of the blade are marked with ribs. Both neck and edge are damaged. Length: c. 17 cm. Width: 3.8 cm above the edge. B05469/b)
Sword with tang and with narrow blade, short tang and marked shoulders. There is a marked midrib. The tip is missing, and the blade is broken in two. The tang and shaft plate are corroded. Current length: 32.6 cm
Location:
Lista lighthouse, Farsund, Vest-Agder
Context:
Found in the ground near Lista lighthouse, no other information.
Complete spearhead point, with narrow, convex blades. There are transverse parallel lines around the socket, and a rib around the mouth of the socket. Two parallel lines run along the edge of the blades from the rivet holes to the point. Golden, slightly rough surface. Gunderslev type. Length: 17.9 cm Remains of an ash shaft were found inside the shaft.
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.
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 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.
Context:
Found in a mound, «Kjørkhaug», in 1896 or earlier. It was found in the western part of the mound, there is no other information about the find. The mound was later excavated by Shetelig and A.W. Brøgger in 1905. They opened a trench to the middle of the mound, and found seven small cairns, without finds or burials. Flint chips and a flint blade were found in the excavated masses, as well as charcoal.
Four fragments of a tanged sword with sword knob. The blade has a rounded midrib, with a raised rib on each side that is concave at the top of the blade. The pliers consist of eight bronze discs. The handle is rounded towards the blade in a crescent shape that has relief decoration, and the outer edge of the crescent has slanted lines. The shaft has five rivets. The sword button is oval with a round central pin surrounded by eight rings in relief. The tip of the blade is missing. Length: 43 cm
Location:
Bø, Karmøy, Rogaland.
Context:
Found in «Knaghaug» in 1893; the mound was partially destroyed and the sword was found under a slab near the top of the remaining mound. Shetelig excavated the remaining pile in 1907, and found stones and charcoal, probably a broken stone coffin. At the bottom he found a boat-shaped stone setting, 3 x 2 m. It consisted of round beach stones on a layer of boulders. At the eastern end there was a standing slab on a slab layer on top of a layer of yellow sand. There was a layer of stones under the sand, sitting on the ground.
Context:
Found in a mound excavated by Gustafson. A stone coffin was found in the middle of the mound, about 70-90 cm below the top. The coffin was built of stone and measured 2.5 x 0.45-0.50 cm and was filled with soil. The dagger was found in the middle of the coffin, about 30 cm from the northern end. One of the top slabs had a bowl pit below, i.e. facing the inside of the last.
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.
Blade of a dagger and fragments of a wooden shaft. The sides are chipped and damaged, the tip is broken. It is a flat tang with rivet holes and possibly flanges, so the dagger may have been flanged. The blade has a marked midrib. There are remnants of a green patina, the blade is corroded. According to the original catalogue, the wooden hilt was semicircular, probably similar to Montelius Minnen fig. 1006. Length: c.25 cm
Location:
Hodnes, Bore, Klepp, Rogaland
Context:
Found in a mound at Hodnes, no information about the grave.
Fragment of double-edged blade, most likely a dagger. It has a marked midrib flanked by two line bundles consisting of three lines. The lines are not well made. The line bundles are concave at the widest end of the fragment, near the missing handle, indicating that this may have been a riveted blade. Length: c. 9.5 cm
Location:
Hogstad (unknown farm), Rogaland
Context:
No information is available. The name Hogstad is written on the blade, but as the object was acquired from an antiques dealer, there is no certain information about where, when or how it was found.
Fragment of the upper part of a sword blade. It has a marked central rib and no decoration. The blade is broken where the blade expands and the shaft plate starts, so it is impossible to determine whether the blade was riveted or tanged. The sides are parallel. There is some corrosion. Length: c.12 cm.
Location:
Madla, Stavanger, Rogaland
Context:
Found in a mound in the 1830s at Madla farm. The chamber was about 2.5 m long and contained the sword and other unspecified bronze objects. The sword blade was complete when it was found, the other objects were not kept or handed in to the museum and are lost.
Date:
As the fragment was found in a large chamber, this suggests a dating to the Early Bronze Age period 2-3.
Hilt and pommel of a sword, or possibly the haft of a composite axe. The pommel is round and flat, with a cross in relief in the centre. The hilt has a pattern of triangles and zigzags in relief, and ends in a flat, square tang with three small rivet holes. Length: 8.1 cm
Location:
Tu, Klepp, Rogaland
Context:
Found in a small mound in 1870. No other information is available.
Date:
The decoration indicates an early Bronze Age dating period 3.
Five fragments of a tanged sword. Most of the tang and tip are missing. A semi-circular curve on the blade indicates the shape of the shaft. The blade appears to have been wider in the middle; there is a rounded central rib flanked by a line on either side. The midrib ends near the point and the lines converge and continue to the point. The sword is severely damaged: it has been burned and is corroded. The sides of the blade are broken and chipped. Length: 58.8 cm
Location:
Sola, Sola, Rogaland
Context:
Found in a grave at Sola in 1834, together with a button and other bronzes, which were not submitted to the museum.
Tanged sword with two rivet holes. The blade widens and tapers towards the point, and has a marked midrib. There are some notches along the blade. The sword is heavily corroded. Length: 54 cm
Location:
Friestad, Klepp, Rogaland
Context:
Found in a mound. No other information available.
Complete riveted sword with pommel. The hilt is missing. The haft plate is triangular. A semi-circular curve on the blade indicates the shape of the hilt. There are three rivet holes; there is still a rivet in the top, central hole, while there are broken rivets in the remaining holes. The blade widens and tapers towards the point, the tip of which is missing. There is a rounded midrib flanked by two parallel lines on both sides; the lines start at the side of the haft plate and are concave before running down the blade. Some notches along the blade, otherwise it is well preserved. The sword is green and corroded; part of the midrib has been polished in modern times. The pommel is small and oval, 2.4 x 3 cm. It has a small boss in the centre, surrounded by eight small rings in relief (which might have been inlaid with organic material) and four short lines along the edge. The socket is damaged and has a triangular border. There is some corrosion. Length: 59.7 cm
Context:
Found in a grave. The chamber was rectangular and was dry-walled, with slabs at both ends. NB: There is some confusion in the catalogue as it would seem that B01009 and B01011 may have been mixed up. Accordingly, this sword (B01009) is supposed to have come from a burial at Sola, while B01011 is from Skeie. The information about the find from Skeie is that it was found in a dry-walled rectangular chamber, while the find from Sola was found in a grave with a button and other bronzes in 1834.
Sword. Complete octagon-hilted sword. The hilt is attached to the blade with two rivets. The pommel and hilt are cast in one piece. The blade has an oval cross-section and tapers towards the point, which curls up on one side. The pommel is oval and has an oval boss in the centre. There are faint traces of decoration, probably lines and rings. There are three horizontal, parallel lines at the transition between the pommel and hilt, and the hilt also has faint traces of S-shaped decoration. Golden-brown, corroded in places. Length: c. 62 cm.
Long, slender spearhead. The leaves are convex and start 2.4 cm from the socket of the base, just above the two rivet holes. Part of the socket is missing on one side. It has a round cross-section. Three parallel lines run along the edge of the leaves. The socket is decorated: above the rivet holes there are triangles, parallel horizontal lines and a bead border; below are horizontal parallel lines, beads, followed by horizontal lines, triangles, horizontal lines and beads. Dark green patina, there are golden patches where the patina has been removed in modern times. Ullerslev type. Length: 24.5 cm
Context:
Apparently found in a mound at Blodheien, that is Reheia on Karmøy. No other information about the grave.
Decorated pommel, probably belonging to B906. The pommel is rhombic, with a round socket. The socket is damaged and there is some damage underneath the top. The remains of a rivet are found inside the socket. There is an oval boss at the top, decorated with striated triangles and surrounded by eight concentric rings. There are dots, a line, and more dots between the edge and the rings. The socket is also decorated: eight horizontal parallel lines, followed by a border of vertical parallel lines, three horizontal lines, criss-crossing lines, and finally horizontal lines, with a possible border of vertical lines. Golden, red, and brown; there is some corrosion. Width: 4.5 x 4 cm
Context: Found in a mound at Sola in 1834, together with a razor, two daggers and a fibula (B00449, B00906, B00907, and B00908). No other information. This cannot be confirmed, as the original catalogue mentions that the finds may have come from several mounds.
Context:
Found in a mound at Sola in 1834, together with B449, B906, B908 and B909. No other information. This cannot be confirmed, as the original catalog mentions that the finds may have come from several mounds.
Context:
Found in a mound at Sola in 1834, reportedly together with B449, B907-B909 (fibula, razor, pommel and riveted blade). No other information. This cannot be confirmed, as the original catalog mentions that the finds may have come from several mounds.
Incomplete sword with socketed hilt,. The lower part of the blade is missing; the remaining blade was broken in two and is glued together. There is a small fragment of the lower part of the blade, near the point. There is some damage to the edges of the blade, and the hilt is severely corroded. The blade is ogival with midrib; the shoulders are convex and semi-circular. The hilt consists of an oval hollow-cast tube and narrow plate attached to the blade with two rivets. Between the rivets there are four fake rivets. There is a rivet inside the socket. The socket and blade are decorated: the socket has three sets of horizontal lines and a faint outline of triangles below the mouth of the socket and between the line bundles. The blade has three striated triangles below the two central fake rivets, and four line bundles run from the shoulders and down the blade. The outer line bundles consist of six lines and flank first the inner line bundles and then the midrib, finally converging at the section where the blade is broken. The inner line bundles consist of four lines and flank the midrib and converge about 13 cm down the blade. Hadju-sámson type. Parallels: a sword from Roum, Jutland and the sword from Nebra (Engedal 2010). Length: 36.9 cm. Width: 8.9 cm across shoulders.
Context: Found during road construction. The finder had dug a ditch and noticed a branch-like object jutting out from the side of the ditch. It broke when he hit it with the spade, and he noticed that the fracture was golden. He subsequently pulled out the object and realised that it was a sword. The spot was covered up, including fragments of the sword. Later, the area was further disturbed by road building. The exact position is not known, but according to reports at the time it might have been next to a rock, or on a ledge in the rock, on a steep rocky slope. The area was excavated in 1969, without any finds. The missing fragments of the sword were not found. Two flanged axes have been found on the farm, B12125 and B13373.
Date: Swords of this type are rare, only four parallels are known, and they are dated to the Early Bronze Age period 1. The sword can thus be dated to period 1.
Tanged sword with rounded midrib, broken in two below the shoulders; the fragments are glued together. The tang is relatively short, the shoulders are sharp, and the blade is straight, but tapers slightly towards the tip, which is missing. This is a recent injury as the fracture is not patinated. There is some damage to the blade: the blade is bent and uneven around the break, which may be post-closure, although there is a large notch on the edge near the break, which was deposited before closure. There are also marks further down the blade, and a corresponding notch on the edge. The patina is mainly a reddish brown and green; there is some corrosion. Length: 66.6 cm. Width: 4 cm at the shoulders, 2 cm near the tip. Photo: Svein Skare
Context:
Found under a large rock on a rocky, gravelly slope or escarpment on Ulsteinhetta, near the southern edge of a ridge known as Ormehalsen. The location is approximately 50 m above a flat area. It was discovered when a smaller stone was removed.
A small riveted dagger, with two rivet holes, and the remains of an organic hilt. The blade is uneven and has been resharpened considerably in prehistory. There is no midrib or decoration. There are some notches along the blade and the point is slightly bent. Part of the hilt is preserved: a small horn shaped into a handle. According to the original catalogue, it is a goat’s horn. It is black and fragmented, partly damaged by the spade when it was found. A small cylindrical piece of what looks like bone or horn was also handed in by the finder, who seemed to think that it could have been a rivet. It measures 0.4 cm and is certainly small enough that it could have been used as a rivet. Brown patina with some golden patches. Length: 8.5 cm, the remains of the hilt c. 6.5 cm. Width: 1.5 cm (widest section of the blade)
Context: Found in a bog while digging a ditch, about 1.2 m deep, close to the doctor’s house. The bog was surrounded by rock outcrops.
Complete spearhead. It is broken in two and the break is glued. The leaves are broad; the base is wider at the mouth than where it meets the blade. There are two small rivet holes on either side of the plinth; there is a ring around each hole, which is no more than a vague outline due to corrosion. The base has a round cross-section. The surface is uneven; the patina is golden brown. The spearhead has been reground by the finder on the tip, the top of the base on both sides and on the edges of the blades. Length: 17.2 cm Width: approx. 3.3 cm across the widest section. Photo: Svein Skare
Context:
No information.
Location:
Giskeødegård (gnr. 129), Giske, Møre and Romsdal
Date:
Spearheads of this type are generally late, and the point is dated to the Younger Bronze Age period 5-6.
Dagger blade with two rivet holes. There is some damage to the edges of the blade, otherwise it is well preserved. Green patina, there are some scratches where someone has tried to polish the blade. There is a central rib on both sides of the blade. The dagger was previously kept at the Archaeological Museum in Stavanger with number SM 2849. Length: 12.5 cm. Width: 2.8 cm
Context: Possibly from a mound, «Garahaugen»; it was reported to have been found in a chamber containing charcoal. The excavation of Garahaugen revealed a central mound on an earthen platform, covered by a mound and surrounded by a foot chain, and a central chamber made of boulders, measuring 0.75×0.35 m. The chamber had been disturbed by grave robbers, and contained charcoal and cleaned cremated leg. The charcoal was radiocarbon dated to 3300±80BP/1460-1300 cal BC (T 858), placing the burial in Period 2-3. There was also another burial consisting of charcoal and cremated bones between some stone slabs; the charcoal was dated to 3030±70BP/1150-1010 cal BC (T 959). Several plow tracks and a cooking pit were found under the earthen platform, and charcoal from an area near the pit was dated to 3080±20 BP/1210-1010 cal BC (T 860). Although this cannot be established, it is possible that the dagger actually came from Garahaugen. It also cannot be ruled out that it came from another pile or heap nearby.
Small decorated spearhead of the Smørumovre-type, a settlement west northwest of Copenhagen, Denmark. There is some damage to the base, where one of the rivet holes is visible, and the tip is broken. The base has a round cross-section. The edges are uneven; one is slightly wider than the other. Faint remains of decoration around the plinth: a border consisting of a single line, then a zigzag pattern of double lines and a double line below. The metal is green and oxidized. Length: 13.2 cm
Context:
The spearhead was found by hunters in the mountains near Voss, on the slopes of Kaldafjellet at about 1000 m above sea level. It was found in peat between stones. Whether the spearhead was placed there on purpose or is a stray find is impossible to determine.
Location:
Found in the mountains, Kaldafjell, Voss, Hordaland
Date:
Spearheads of this type are dated to the Early Bronze Age period 2.
Context:
Found in a mound, «Nesjarøysi», located on a small gravel hill about 40 m from land and close to a small river, 10 m.a.s.l. It was originally 15 m and had a height of approx. 1.8-2 m. According to Olafsen (1907), it had a kerb. During the removal of the pile, a large chest made of stone slabs was found and removed. It was c. 2 m long, and consisted of a slab at the gable ends, one on one side, and two slabs on the other. The bottom consisted of beach rock. After the slabs were removed, the blade of a dagger was found. The cairn was built on the beach, which beach stones under the entire cairn indicate. The mound was removed by the farmer in 1930, and shortly afterwards was inspected by archaeologist Johs Bøe.
Spearhead. Small and slender spearhead of the Hulterstad type. There is no decoration. The jaw has a round cross-section. Brown patina, there are some scratches and nicks; overall it is in good condition. Length: 13.6 cm. Width: 2.8 cm across the blade
Context:
Found in a bog during peat cutting. The spearhead was found in the soil that had been dug up, so there is no information about depth or other details. It had been found a few years before it was given to the museum in 1918. According to Per Fett (1973), the bog in question could either be a peat bog in the mountains, or a bog about 75 m NW of the farmhouse.
Location:
Nesbø (gnr. 60/2), Fitjar, Hordaland
Date:
Spearheads of the Hulterstad type are dated to the Early Bronze Age period 3.
Complete spearhead. A decorative line runs along the edge of the blade from the tip to the end of the blade. From the leaf down along the side of the plinth there is a decoration consisting of small horizontal lines. There are two rivet holes on either side of the plinth; both are decorated with a ring of radial lines. Some nicks on the edges of the blade, otherwise in good condition. Dark green patina, some of which has peeled off around the tip. Length: 28 cm. Width: 4.3 cm.
Context:
Found in a small gravel roof on a slope called Veabakken, in a very steep and rocky area about 200 m southeast of the farmhouse.
Location:
Tjeldflott (gnr.129/1), Etne, Hordaland
Date:
Similar spearheads are dated to the Younger Bronze Age period 6.
B05932/a: Fragments of a bronze object. The excavator, Haakon Shetelig, thought the fragments could have been a knife. As the fragments are flat and thin, it is possible that the object may have been a knife or razor, but this cannot be ascertained. The fragments are corroded.
B05932/b: Clay urn, fragmented, similar to Baudou’s type XXXVIII C 1. The fragments have been glued together. The ware is grey/brown, porous on the outside, and tempered with crushed quartz. There are remains of red on the outside. The urn has a wide, convex body and cylindrical neck. The body is decorated with a band of slanting parallel lines in groups, alternating between slanting to the right and left. There are two horizontal lines on top and below the band. The rim is not marked. The pot originally had a handle, which was broken before deposition, as a handle was not found in the grave. Height: 18 cm
B05932/c: Fragments of an urn. When found, the clay was damp and disintegrating. Grey ware, with remains of red on the outside. The clay is tempered with crushed quartz. The ware appears to have been somewhat better quality than B05932/b, with an even finish both on the inside and outside. Only part of the lower half of the pot can be reconstructed: it has a convex lower body, and narrows towards the neck. A possible parallel is Baudou XXVIII B 2.
B05932/d: Cremated bones.
Context:
Found in a cairn with two urns and cremated bones (B05932/b-d), located on a promontory, Straumstein, with a good view of the sea. The cairn contained three chambers: One inhumation grave and two smaller stone cists, one of which contained the two urns and cremated bones, and one which was empty. The cist was made from five slabs and two covering slabs, and measured 0.40 x 0.30 m. It was located in the centre of the cairn, a little higher than the other two burials. Marine sand was scattered on the bottom slab. One of the urns had disintegrated and the shards were mixed with the bones inside. The bronze fragments were found underneath. The other urn was in good condition, but had cracked and the contents spilt. The bronze object appears to have been deposed separately, rather than inside one of the urns. According to Per Fett (1954), the slabs must have come from Augastad.
Location:
Eide (gnr.83/3), Kvam, Hordaland
Date: Based on the urns and cremated bones as well as the size of the cist, the burial is dated to the Late Bronze Age, period 4-6.
Riveted sword blade, broken at the handle. One nail hole is visible. The blade is golden and green, some brown spots; there are indications of modern sharpening and the patina is partially gone. One side has some irregularities, probably a casting error. The blade is wider in the middle and the edges taper towards the tip, which is partially broken. The central rib is flanked by three lines on each side. The blade is generally in good condition. Parallels: Montelius Minnen 901, 903 Length: 62.5 cm. Width: 3.1 cm across the middle part. Weight: 519 g.
Context:
The blade was found in a ditch in a peat bog, approx. 1893. The bog is located approx. 75 m W of the farmhouse, 35 m.a.s.l.
Location:
Sørvoll (no. 97/2), Bømlo, Hordaland
Date: Blades like this are dated to the Early Bronze Age period 2-3. The sword is similar to Montelius Minnen 901, 903 and should probably be dated to Early Bronze Age period 2.
Urn with cremated bones (B3875/a). It was made of clay tempered with sand, red/orange on the outside, gray on the inside. The urn was double-conical. There were 15 small holes along the widest part of the urn. There were only minor injuries. Height: 24.5 cm
Shards of a second urn (B3875/b), red/orange wares tempered with sand. The bottom shards indicate a conical shape. The surface is somewhat uneven. According to the original catalogue, this pot may have been used as a lid.
Arrowhead with tanges (B03875/c). The brown patina is almost completely removed. The pliers have a square cross-section. Baudous type V A. Length: 8.7 cm
Small double button with decoration (B3875/d). The top plate is raised and conical, and is decorated with concentric rings interspersed with two rows of vertical parallel lines. Width: 2 cm. Height: 1.7 cm
Small awl, broken at one end (B3875/e). When it was found there was a small point and a wooden handle, but both snapped and disintegrated when touched. One end has a round cross-section, while the other end has a square cross-section and ends in a small tongs. Length: 2.4 cm
Context:
Found in a long mound pile, in a small stone cist measuring 1.5 feet and built of slabs. A larger, collapsed stone coffin was found nearby in 1880. The mound was low.
Location:
Vest-Hassel, Farsund, Vest-Agder
Date:
Both the arrowhead and the button indicate a date to the Younger Bronze Age period 4.
Tanged sword with guard and pommel, originally with organic hilt. The blade was broken and the fracture has been glued. Both the point and the tang are broken. There is a guard between the hilt and the blade, consisting of a crescent-shaped rib ending in three tongues on either side. The pommel is trapezoid and decorated with rings and grooves in relief; it might have been inlaid with organic material. Dark green, almost black patina, with red and golden patches. Length: 46 cm. Width: 3.4 cm across blade. Weight: 439 g, pommel weighs 33 g.
Context: The sword is reported to have come from a cairn near Fitjar Church, most likely the Rimsvarden cairn. This is a huge cairn with a diameter of 25 m and a height between 2 and 4 m, located on an outcrop 90 m.a.s.l. There are several craters in the cairn, which was opened by a local tavern owner (probably Bengt Magnussen (1743-1810)) ca. 1785. A cist was found near the bottom of the cairn; the cist was drywalled and covered by a large stone slab, measuring 1.9 x 0.6 m. A sword, dagger, and charcoal were found inside. There is no information as to what happened to the dagger.
Local tradition:
The sword found in Rimsvarden was used to cure illness and ease childbirth. If a patient was stroked with the blade, all would be well, while things would not go well if the patient was stroked with the point. The sword is likely to be B01825, which was handed in to the museum in 1866 with the information that it was found in a cairn near Fitjar church; however, the museum catalogue states that it came from a farm at Stord. According to Per Fett (1973), the tavern owner’s daughter was married to a man from this particular farm, and she was a midwife, so that it is likely that B01825 is in fact the sword found in Rimsvarden.
Sword B1008. Tongue-hilted sword, undamaged and in good condition. The shaft ends in a small tange, and there is a rivet hole on the shaft. Both sides of the shaft show signs of hammering. There are two rivets on the broad shoulder, below which is a marked indentation on each side of the blade. Two parallel sets of three lines run from the shoulder along the midrib almost to the tip of the point. Dark green patina, there are some golden spots especially on the center rib. It is an imported sword of the Mindelheim type (Jensen 1997), originating in Central Europe. Length: 80 cm
Context:
Found on a seder farm, Seberg, used for grazing by several farms, 450 m.a.s.l. The sword was stuck in a crack in an outcrop (although some sources say it was found between rocks). There is an outcrop with a large cup mark close by, as well as other cup mark places on the path that leads to a seat farm further up the mountain.
Location:
On the seat farm Seberg under Lekve (gnr. 49, 50), Ulvik, Hordaland
Dating:
Swords of this type are dated to the Younger Bronze Age, period 6.
Context: Found in a cairn north of the island of Huglo on the farm Nordhuglo in 1885. The cairn was built on and around a natural rock and was 18-19 m in diameter and about 2 m high. A cist in the mound measured L 2.0 m W 0.4 m D 0.75 m. The cist was built in a natural pit in the rock and covered with two slabs. The dagger and a jaw bone were found inside, and the dagger was placed on the left side of where the body had lain. The jaw is lost and the coffin was destroyed in 1959. The cairn was not excavated by an archaeologist.
Date:
The dagger is similar to daggers dated to the Early Bronze Age, period 2.
