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To learn more, view our Privacy Policy. To browse Academia. Hedenstierna-Jonson, C. Kjellström, A. Källström, M. Ljung, C. Runer, J. This article presents a type of knife that has been rather neglected by research. The knife handle characteristically terminates in a profiled bird-head and is cast in copper alloy over a blade of iron.
The type may have ultimately Roman origins regarding technique and form. We know of thirteen such knives, two of which are complete. They come with one exception from 11th—12th century find-contexts, concentrated to eastern Sweden with outliers in Finland, Denmark and SE England. Five knives come from Sigtuna alone.
Den vardagliga kniven - om knivars terminologi och tolkning med småländska exempel
Decoration is mainly in late-Viking Ringerike style. These are specialized objects judging by the exclusive casting technique used, which provides a strong junction between handle and blade and allows for cast decoration in the handle. The knife from Professorn 1 in Sigtuna fig 1, is exceptionally well preserved, of high quality workmanship, in pure bronze and shows elements of all three late Viking art styles and might have formed the basis for a series of almost identical handles fig It is stratigraphically dated to Since the strongest parallels are to be found in Danish material it is argued that this knife might provide additional evidence for influence from the Danish court in Sigtuna during the 11th century.
Our analysis has not taken into account where the knife was made. In an earlier presentation by one of the authors AS , these knives were queried as having a possible surgical or scribal use. We here conclude that surgical use is improbable since the backs of the blades where preserved are too broad.
En säregen knivtyp i gränslandet mellan Jelling-, Mammen- och Ringerikestil
A use as scribal knives has not been ruled out, even though here too a slimmer blade is preferred, among a variety of blade shapes. Archaeological evidence indicates a preference for knives which required an open-sided handle for rotating a double-ended blade. Manuscript illustrations and finds of post-renaissance date show narrow one-piece? Perhaps the sharp beak on the Sigtuna knife fig 27 indicates the bird head served as a scraper?
It seems significant that bird-headed knives come from find-contexts associated with places of high social standing and secular or ecclesiastic administration. The Sigtuna knives came from houses connected with the royal mint, evidence for pigments, for writing, prestigious imports, etc. How this fits in with the occurrence of bird-headed knives in four graves — one male, three female; three cremation graves and one rich Early Christian female inhumation grave — is uncertain.
Korsordslexikon för korsordslösare !
The knife is a common artefact found in many different contexts. In this article a model of how knives can be analysed is presented. The model is based upon characteristics that are important when discussing the use value of the knife as well as its symbolic value. Certain characteristics have been identified as important on basis of practical forging and knifemakery. Physical characteristics such as the design of the tang, the knives length and how its edge is designed is important information when discussing to what purpose the knife was manufactured.
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The material of the blade gives information about both the smith and how the knife might have been used. Two different materials can be used, these are iron and steel. Steel has different use values than iron. It may be tempered and therefore an edge made out of steel remains sharp longer than a similar edge made out of iron.