Book contents
- Warfare in Bronze Age Society
- Warfare in Bronze Age Society
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Chapter One Introducing Bronze Age Warfare
- Chapter Two Bronze Age Encounters: Violent or Peaceful?
- Chapter Three Warfare and the Political Economy: Europe 1500–1100 bc
- Chapter Four Warfare vs. Exchange? Thoughts on an Integrative Approach
- Chapter Five Maritime Warfare in Scandinavian Rock Art
- Chapter Six Bronze Weaponry and Cultural Mobility in Late Bronze Age Southeast Europe
- Chapter Seven The Emergence of Specialized Combat Weapons in the Levantine Bronze Age
- Chapter Eight Beyond the Grave: Crafting Identities in the Middle Bronze Age Southern Trans Urals
- Chapter Nine Carp’s-Tongue Swords and Their Use: Functional, Technological and Morphological Aspects
- Chapter Ten Warfare or Sacrifice? Archaeological Research on the Bronze Age Site in the Tollense Valley, Northeast Germany
- Chapter Eleven Violence and Ritual in Late Bronze Age Britain: Weapon Depositions and Their Interpretation
- Chapter Twelve ‘Warrior Graves’ vs. Warrior Graves in the Bronze Age Aegean
- Chapter Thirteen The Chief and His Sword? Some Thoughts on the Swordbearer’s Rank in the Early Nordic Bronze Age
- Chapter Fourteen Becoming the Warrior: Constructed Identity or Functional Identity?
- Chapter Fifteen Body Aesthetics, Fraternity and Warfare in the Long European Bronze Age: Postscriptum
- Index
- References
Chapter Thirteen - The Chief and His Sword? Some Thoughts on the Swordbearer’s Rank in the Early Nordic Bronze Age
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 April 2018
Book contents
- Warfare in Bronze Age Society
- Warfare in Bronze Age Society
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Chapter One Introducing Bronze Age Warfare
- Chapter Two Bronze Age Encounters: Violent or Peaceful?
- Chapter Three Warfare and the Political Economy: Europe 1500–1100 bc
- Chapter Four Warfare vs. Exchange? Thoughts on an Integrative Approach
- Chapter Five Maritime Warfare in Scandinavian Rock Art
- Chapter Six Bronze Weaponry and Cultural Mobility in Late Bronze Age Southeast Europe
- Chapter Seven The Emergence of Specialized Combat Weapons in the Levantine Bronze Age
- Chapter Eight Beyond the Grave: Crafting Identities in the Middle Bronze Age Southern Trans Urals
- Chapter Nine Carp’s-Tongue Swords and Their Use: Functional, Technological and Morphological Aspects
- Chapter Ten Warfare or Sacrifice? Archaeological Research on the Bronze Age Site in the Tollense Valley, Northeast Germany
- Chapter Eleven Violence and Ritual in Late Bronze Age Britain: Weapon Depositions and Their Interpretation
- Chapter Twelve ‘Warrior Graves’ vs. Warrior Graves in the Bronze Age Aegean
- Chapter Thirteen The Chief and His Sword? Some Thoughts on the Swordbearer’s Rank in the Early Nordic Bronze Age
- Chapter Fourteen Becoming the Warrior: Constructed Identity or Functional Identity?
- Chapter Fifteen Body Aesthetics, Fraternity and Warfare in the Long European Bronze Age: Postscriptum
- Index
- References
Summary
The Nordic Bronze Age is thought of as being organised into chiefdoms which were in part rivals to each other. A multitude of swords from burial mounds supports this notion and led to the interpretation of these swords as an important symbol of the ruling chiefs and their retinue.
The chapter seeks to re-evaluate these assumptions based on an in-depth analysis of Bronze Age swords and their contexts. In particular, the rank and function of the swordfighter will be questioned. First the results of a functional analysis of full-hilted swords in Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein will be used to argue that – contrary to other suggestions – full-hilted swords are mainly fully functional for combat use. A statistical evaluation of associated finds of swords allows for a reconsideration of the different roles of ritual chiefs and warrior chiefs. Finally, an estimation of the total amount of swords that may have been present in the Nordic area is confronted with other archaeological sources in order to evaluate the rank of the swordfighter in society.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Warfare in Bronze Age Society , pp. 198 - 212Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2018
References
Acsádi, G. and Nemeskéri, J., History of Human Life Span and Mortality (Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1970).Google Scholar
Aner, E. and Kersten, K., Holbæk, Sorø und Præstø Amter. Die Funde der älteren Bronzezeit des nordischen Kreises in Dänemark, Schleswig-Holstein und Niedersachsen, vol. 2 (Neumünster: Wachholtz, 1976).Google Scholar
Aner, E. and Kersten, K., Ringkøbing Amt. Die Funde der älteren Bronzezeit des nordischen Kreises in Dänemark, Schleswig-Holstein und Niedersachsen, vol. 10 (Neumünster: Wachholtz, 1995).Google Scholar
Bunnefeld, J.-H., ‘Dinge des täglichen Gebrauchs? Zur Funktion und Bedeutung älterbronzezeitlicher Schwerter in Niedersachsen’, in Heske, I. and Horejs, B. (eds.), Bronzezeitliche Identitäten und Objekte (Bonn: R. Habelt Verlag, 2012), pp. 135–144.Google Scholar
Bunnefeld, J.-H., ‘Häuptlinge oder freie Bauern? Versuch einer quantitativen Auswertung bronzezeitlicher Schwerter der Perioden II und III in Dänemark und SchleswigHolstein’, in Heske, I., Nüsse, H.-J. and Schneeweiß, J. (eds.), Landschaft, Besiedlung und Siedlung. Archäologische Studien im nordeuropäischen Kontext. Festschrift für Karl-Heinz Willroth zu seinem 65. Geburtstag (Neumünster: Wachholtz, 2013), pp. 417–426.Google Scholar
Bunnefeld, J.-H. and Schwenzer, S., ‘Traditionen, Innovationen und Technologietransfer. Zur Herstellungstechnik und Funktion älterbronzezeitlicher Schwerter in Niedersachsen’, Prähistorische Zeitschrift 86 (2011), 207–253.Google Scholar
Burmeister, S., ‘Die Herren der Ringe. Annäherung an ein späthallstattzeitliches Statussymbol’, in Veit, U., Kienlin, T. L., Kümmel, C. and Schmidt, S. (eds.), Spuren und Botschaften. Interpretationen materieller Kultur (Münster: Waxmann, 2003), pp. 265–296.Google Scholar
Fabian, O., ‘Noch einmal zu den Klappschemeln der älteren nordischen Bronzezeit’, in Dietrich, L., Dietrich, O., Heeb, B. and Szentmiklosi, A. (eds.), Aes aeterna. Festschrift für Tudor Soroceanu zum 65. Geburtstag (Timişoara: Marineasa, 2009), pp. 109–128.Google Scholar
Fyllingen, H., ‘Society and violence in the Early Bronze Age. An analysis of human skeletons from Nord-Trøndelag, Norway’, Norwegian Archaeological Review 36 (2003), 27–43.Google Scholar
Goldhahn, J., ‘On war and memory and the memory of war. The Hvidegaard burial revisited’, in Berge, R., Jasinsko, M. and Sognnes, K. (eds.), N-TAG TEN. Proceedings from 10th Nordic-Tag conference at Stiklestad, Norway 2009 (Oxford: Archaeopress, 2012), pp. 237–250.Google Scholar
Harding, A., Warriors and Weapons in Bronze Age Europe (Budapest: Archaeolingua, 2007).Google Scholar
Helbling, J., ‘War and peace in societies without central power. Theories and perspectives’, in Otto, T., Thrane, H. and Vandkilde, H. (eds.), Warfare and Society. Archaeological and Social Anthropological Perspectives (Aarhus: Aarhus University Press, 2006), pp. 113–139.Google Scholar
Hofmann, K. P., Der rituelle Umgang mit dem Tod. Untersuchungen zu bronze- und früheisenzeitlichen Brandbestattungen im Elbe-Weser-Dreieck (Oldenburg: Kommissionsverlag Isensee, 2008).Google Scholar
Hornstrup, K. M., Olsen, J., Heinemeier, J., Thrane, H. and Bennike, P., ‘A new absolute Danish Bronze Age chronology as based on radiocarbon dating of cremated bone samples from burials’, Acta Archaeologica 83 (2012), 9–53.Google Scholar
Ille, P., Totenbrauchtum in der älteren Bronzezeit auf den dänischen Inseln (Buch am Erlbach: M. Leidorf Verlag, 1991).Google Scholar
Jantzen, D., Brinker, U., Orschiedt, J., Heinemeier, J., Piek, J., Hauenstein, K., Krüger, J., Lidke, G., Lübke, H., Lampe, R., Lorenz, S., Schulte, M. and Terberger, T., ‘A Bronze Age battlefield? Weapons and trauma in the Tollense valley, north-eastern Germany’, Antiquity 85 (2011), 417–433.Google Scholar
Jensen, J., Danmarks Oldtid. Bronzealder 2000–500 f. Kr. (Copenhagen: Gyldendal, 2006).Google Scholar
Jockenhövel, A., ‘Bronzen im Spannungsfeld zwischen praktischer Nutzung und symbolischer Bedeutung. Einführung in das Thema des Kolloquiums’, in Dietz, U. L. and Jockenhövel, A. (eds.), Bronzen im Spannungsfeld zwischen praktischer Nutzung und symbolischer Bedeutung (Stuttgart: F. Steiner Verlag, 2011), pp. 1–18.Google Scholar
Kristiansen, K., ‘The consumption of wealth in Bronze Age Denmark. A study in the dynamics of economic processes in tribal societies’, in Kristiansen, K. and Paludan-Müller, C. (eds.), New Directions in Scandinavian Archaeology (Copenhagen: Gyldendal, 1978), pp. 158–190.Google Scholar
Kristiansen, K., ‘Krieger und Häuptlinge in der Bronzezeit Dänemarks. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte des bronzezeitlichen Schwertes’, Jahrbuch des Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseums 31 (1984), 187–208.Google Scholar
Kristiansen, K., ‘Early Bronze Age burial finds’, in Kristiansen, K. (ed.), Archaeological Formation Processes. The Representativity of Archaeological Remains from Danish Prehistory (Copenhagen: Nationalmuseet, 1985), pp. 116–128.Google Scholar
Kristiansen, K., ‘The tale of the sword. Swords and swordfighters in Bronze Age Europe’, Oxford Journal of Archaeology 21 (2002), 319–332.Google Scholar
Kristiansen, K., ‘The rules of the game. Decentralised complexity and power structures’, in Kohring, S. and Wynne-Jones, S. (eds.), Socialising Complexity. Approaches to Power and Interaction in the Archaeological Record (Oxford: Oxbow, 2007), pp. 60–75.Google Scholar
Kristiansen, K. and Larsson, T. B., The Rise of Bronze Age Society. Travels, Transmissions and Transformations (Cambridge University Press, 2005).Google Scholar
Lidke, G. and Piek, J., ‘Manipulationsspuren an menschlichen Schädelresten des Neolithikums in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’, Jahrbuch der Bodendenkmalpflege in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 46 (1998), 45–91.Google Scholar
Ling, J., ‘War canoes or social units? Human representation in rock-art ships’, European Journal of Archaeology 15 (2012), 465–485.Google Scholar
Molloy, B. P. C., ‘Use-wear analysis and use-patterns of Bronze Age swords’, in Uckelmann, M. and Mödlinger, M. (eds.), Bronze Age Warfare. Manufacture and Use of Weaponry (Oxford: Archaeopress, 2011), pp. 67–84.Google Scholar
Ottenjann, H., Die nordischen Vollgriffschwerter der älteren und mittleren Bronzezeit (Berlin: de Gruyter Verlag, 1969).Google Scholar
Peter-Röcher, H., Gewalt und Krieg im prähistorischen Europa. Beiträge zur Konfliktforschung auf der Grundlage archäologischer, anthropologischer und ethnologischer Quellen (Bonn: R. Habelt Verlag, 2007).Google Scholar
Poulsen, J., ‘Landwirtschaft und Bevölkerungsverhältnisse in der dänischen Bronzezeit’, Zeitschrift für Archäologie 17 (1983), 145–158.Google Scholar
Randsborg, K., ‘Bronze Age universitas. Kivig/Kivik revisited’, in Randsborg, K. (ed.), Archaeology. North Atlantic to the Baltic on to the Mediterranean Sea (Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011), pp. 163–180.Google Scholar
Riederer, J., ‘Ergebnisse metallanalytischer Untersuchungen von Bronzeschwertern’, in Wüstemann, H., Die Schwerter in Ostdeutschland (Stuttgart: F. Steiner Verlag, 2004), pp. 259–329.Google Scholar
Siedlaczek, M., ‘Der experimentelle Nachguss von bronzezeitlichen Schwertern’, Experimentelle Archäologie in Europa, Bilanz (2011), 109–119.Google Scholar
Steffgen, U., ‘Die Gräber der frühen und älteren Bronzezeit in Schleswig-Holstein und Dänemark. Studien zu Grabbau und Grabeinrichtung’, Offa 54/55 (1997/1998), 97–219.Google Scholar
Thrane, H., ‘Swords and other weapons in the Nordic Bronze Age. Technology, treatment and context’, in Otto, T., Thrane, H. and Vandkilde, H. (eds.), Warfare and Society. Archaeological and Social Anthropological Perspectives (Aarhus: Aarhus University Press, 2006), pp. 491–504.Google Scholar
Toreld, A., ‘Svärd och mord. Nyupptäckta hällristningsmotiv vid Medbo i Brastad socken, Bohuslän’, Forvännen 107 (2012), 241–252.Google Scholar
Treherne, P., ‘The warrior’s beauty. The masculine body and self-identity in Bronze-Age Europe’, Journal of European Archaeology 3 (1995), 105–144.Google Scholar
Vandkilde, H., ‘Archaeology and war. Presentations of warriors and peasants in archaeological interpretations’, in Otto, T., Thrane, H. and Vandkilde, H. (eds.), Warfare and Society. Archaeological and Social Anthropological Perspectives (Aarhus: Aarhus University Press, 2006), pp. 57–73.Google Scholar
Wendt, K. P., Hilpert, J. and Zimmermann, A., ‘Landschaftsarchäologie III. Untersuchungen zur Bevölkerungsdichte der vorrömischen Eisenzeit, der Merowingerzeit und der späten vorindustriellen Neuzeit an Mittel- und Niederrhein’, Bericht der Römisch-Germanischen Kommission 91 (2012), 217–338.Google Scholar
Willroth, K.-H., Die Hortfunde der älteren Bronzezeit in Südschweden und auf den dänischen Inseln (Neumünster: Wachholtz, 1985).Google Scholar
Willroth, K.-H., ‘Krieger, Häuptlinge oder “nur” freie Bauern. Zum Wandel in der Bronzezeitforschung’, in Budesheim, W. and Keiling, H. (eds.), Zur Bronzezeit in Norddeutschland (Neumünster: Wachholtz, 1999), pp. 39–66.Google Scholar
Zich, B., ‘Flintbek’, in Aner, E., Kersten, K. and Willroth, K.-H. (eds.), Kreis RendsburgEckernförde (südlich des Nord-Ostsee-Kanals) und die kreisfreien Städte Kiel und Neumünster. Die Funde der älteren Bronzezeit des nordischen Kreises in Dänemark, Schleswig-Holstein und Niedersachsen, vol. 19 (Neumünster: Wachholtz, 2005), pp. 31–84.Google Scholar
Zimmermann, A., Wendt, K. P., Frank, T. and Hilpert, J., ‘Landscape archaeology in Central Europe’, Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 75 (2009), 1–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 5
- Cited by