Archaeologist, Ph.D., currently working as collection manager for the archaeological collections at the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo. My primary research interests are Viking Age studies, material culture, museology and cultural heritage.
In this article, I discuss the significance of foreign objects and foreign material culture in Vi... more In this article, I discuss the significance of foreign objects and foreign material culture in Viking-Age Scandinavia. Changes in the use of imported objects as dress accessories show that Scandina...
Gjenstander over grenser : potensialet i studier av importerte og ikke-lokale gjenstander i vikin... more Gjenstander over grenser : potensialet i studier av importerte og ikke-lokale gjenstander i vikingtid
Extraordinary objects, things that convey collective narratives as well as a record of conservati... more Extraordinary objects, things that convey collective narratives as well as a record of conservation evoke extraordinary feelings. Both the physical characteristics of the objects and the myths surrounding them may increase their meaning, lending them an inherent power. The design, language of form, as well as the materials used are essential elements in creating the objects’ charisma and in forming the stories that are told about them. The present volume explores the concept of charismatic objects and their material world through nine papers focusing on historical examples dating from the Roman Period to the late Middle Ages. Press link to get Open Access
In this article, I discuss the significance of foreign objects and foreign material culture in Vi... more In this article, I discuss the significance of foreign objects and foreign material culture in Viking-Age Scandinavia. Changes in the use of imported objects as dress accessories show that Scandinavian peoples gradually became closer to the international community through the adaptation of foreign customs. These changes signal a shift in how Scandinavians viewed their non-Scandinavian neighbours. A study of the appropriation of foreign objects can help us to appreciate how complex the transformation of society in this era was. The article is based on a comprehensive study of the use of foreign objects in eastern Norway (Aannestad 2015).
Charismatic Objects. From Roman Times to the Middle Ages , 2018
There are few groups of prehistoric objects that have such allure as the Viking sword. In movies ... more There are few groups of prehistoric objects that have such allure as the Viking sword. In movies and literature, the Viking sword is described and depicted, drawing on both written sources and archaeological material. This contemporary fascination mirrors Early Medieval written sources in which swords are portrayed as the most important weapon. Approximately 1700 swords dated to the Viking Age have been found in Norway, the majority in graves. A number of these swords were severely damaged and rendered unusable before deposition in the grave. The blades were beaten, bent or twisted, sometimes folded together in a way that needs preparation, expertise and equipment. The fact that these swords were subjected to special treatment, handled in a different manner than the rest of the grave goods, underscores the distinctive role of swords in Norse society. In this article I will discuss the deliberate destruction of swords and other weapons from a cultural historical point of view. The irregular treatment of these swords is embedded both in the cultural historical perception of swords and in funerary rituals. A survey of Early Medieval written sources and archaeological material is essential for a more profound understanding of the phenomenon. This study shows that even if the idea of a biographical or animated presence in a certain sword demanded a ritual for ‘killing’ these powerful Objects during burial rituals, the bending, twisting and destruction of swords and other weapons must also be seen as an expression of a more general idea of swords, weapons and funerary rituals in Late Iron Age and Viking Age Scandinavia.
Our heroes, the Vikings – a portrait of a historical period
Even though the Viking Age only cov... more Our heroes, the Vikings – a portrait of a historical period
Even though the Viking Age only covers a time span of roughly 200 years, it is one of the most known and discussed periods in North European and Scandinavian early medieval history, both inside and outside of academia. This article examines the history of the modern concept of the Viking Age, both in academia and as a wider cultural phenomenon. The point of departure is the Viking Age exhibition on the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo that opened in 1993. The Exhibition caused a somewhat heated discussion in the academic field of archaeology and Viking Age studies about the way the period was presented to the audience. The exhibitions of Vikings in museums presents the current academic knowledge of the period, but as an arena of communication, the exhibitions must also acknowledge the different perceptions of the Vikings in popular culture. As a consequence, the museum exhibition turns out to be important meeting points for different fields of knowledge. Today the Vikings are a heterogeneous concept. Both inside and outside academia, the perspectives has moved from the singular Viking World to the plural Viking Worlds. Apart from being an important period of transformation in Scandinavia in early medieval history, the conception of the Viking Age in contemporary culture is also a result of the invention and reinvention of the Vikings in our own image.
Objects across borders - Their Study and Their Potential
This paper discusses the potential in t... more Objects across borders - Their Study and Their Potential
This paper discusses the potential in the study of non-local or imported objects in archaeology. I draw on examples from Viking Period contexts in Scandinavia, and aim to show that different perspectives on theory and methodology offer a broader understanding of cultural encounters in past societies through the study of the movement of material culture. However, different theoretical perspectives must complement each other for each to reach their full potential.
20. mai 1838 fant Hartvig Fossnes et kar av bronse i en haug på eiendommen sin Fossnes i Ytre San... more 20. mai 1838 fant Hartvig Fossnes et kar av bronse i en haug på eiendommen sin Fossnes i Ytre Sandsvær. Dette var den første av i alt fem hauger på Fossnes som ble åpnet i løpet av et par somre og hvis innhold ble oversendt til Oldsaksamlingen (i dag Kulturhistorisk museum) i 1840. I to av haugene ble det funnet bronsekar og i den tredje haug en mindre bronseskål sammen med en blyklump. I de to siste haugene ble det funnet leirkar. De tre bronsebeholderne kommer alle fra Romerriket, mens leirkarene er lokale produkter.
Preliminary report on a metal detecting search at a farmstead in Southeast Norway. The search was... more Preliminary report on a metal detecting search at a farmstead in Southeast Norway. The search was carried out as a successfull cooperation between heritage management authorities and private metal detector enthusiasts. The paper is published digitally at: http://www.norark.no/innsikt/metallsoking-pa-sem-ovre-eiker/
Aannestad, Hanne Lovise (2014). Kulturmøter i vikingtid. Importgjenstander i gravene på Gulli, I:... more Aannestad, Hanne Lovise (2014). Kulturmøter i vikingtid. Importgjenstander i gravene på Gulli, I: Cecilia Gustavsen (red.), Hauglagt - vikingenes gravskikk på Gulli. Vestfoldmuseene. Kapittel 5. s 38 - 45.
Cultural Meetings in the Viking Age. Imported Objects in the graves at Gulli. The article discusses the imported objects from the Viking Age grave field at Gulli in Vestfold, Norway. The grave field contained 20 graves that were excavated in 2003 and 2004. There were found imported Objects or copies of imported objects in seven of the graves. These objects offer an important perspective on Viking Age Scandinavia, about the travel and overseas Exchange. Moreover, they reveal information about the individuals that were buries With the Objects. Imported goods like jewelry and weapons were probably used as a way of expressing social status and prestige in the Viking Age society.
The paper discusses the decorated swords of the Viking Age. Based on the descriptions in the Nors... more The paper discusses the decorated swords of the Viking Age. Based on the descriptions in the Norse literature, the sword was the male jewellery par excellence of the Viking Age with several passages referring to decorated swords, swords with gilded and silvered hilts and blades that shine of beauty and death. The mythical sagas tell of magical swords forged by dwarfs. The creation of myths around the art of the blacksmith and the making of high-quality swords may be related to the fact that few people mastered the art. The production of metal objects of high quality may have been a form of hidden knowledge unavailable to most people. This gave the objects a magical aura. The many similarities between the swords in the archaeological record and the descriptions of swords in Norse and Mediaeval literature suggest that ontology of the ornate swords in the latter had roots in the Viking notions of the power, magic and ritual aspects of swords. The way swords are referred to in the sagas suggests that the sword is an important bearer of the identity of the warrior. A sword reveals the warrior’s social status, his position of power and his strength. The Viking Age was a period of great social upheaval. At times like that, certain symbolic objects may play an important role in negotiating social positions. There is much to suggest that certain swords became inalienable objects, as representations of the status and power of the warrior and his clan. The swords are featured not only as symbolic markers of status, but as powerful objects that contains magic and potential.
This article aims to analyze the symbolic aspects of the keys found in graves from the Late Iron ... more This article aims to analyze the symbolic aspects of the keys found in graves from the Late Iron Age and Viking Age in Scandinavia. The relationship is discussed from the archaeological evidence and early medieval written sources. Keys appear for the first time in graves in the migration period and are found throughout the Iron Age. Archaeological evidence shows that in Late Iron Age/Viking Age there are two main categories of keys, plain iron keys and bronze keys. The latter are almost exclusively linked to female graves. From 11th to 13th century written sources we know that keys were associated with the social role as housewife and the ritual of marriage. Bronze keys were probably carried as visual symbols of the housewife’s power within the Iron Age household.
Do all Roads lead to Kaupang? On exchange and transport along the Numedalslågen river in the Viki... more Do all Roads lead to Kaupang? On exchange and transport along the Numedalslågen river in the Viking Age. This article presents objects from two graves from the 9th century in Buskerud, Norway. Both graves contain objects of non-Scandinavian provenance and this indicates a connection
with oversea trade networks in Viking Age Scandinavia. The graves are used in an argumentation for the existence of non-permanent trading site in a network of the exchange
of products from the high mountain area of Hardangervidda and the upper valley of Numedalen to Skiringssalskaupangen.
In the study of trade and exchange in Viking Age Norway the focus has to a large extent been on the role of international trade and trading networks. However, the inland trade must
have been extensive, and both the control of primary production in high mountain areas and the control of trading routes must have been important economical factors in the establishment
of chiefdoms and the process of early state formation.
In this article, I discuss the significance of foreign objects and foreign material culture in Vi... more In this article, I discuss the significance of foreign objects and foreign material culture in Viking-Age Scandinavia. Changes in the use of imported objects as dress accessories show that Scandina...
Gjenstander over grenser : potensialet i studier av importerte og ikke-lokale gjenstander i vikin... more Gjenstander over grenser : potensialet i studier av importerte og ikke-lokale gjenstander i vikingtid
Extraordinary objects, things that convey collective narratives as well as a record of conservati... more Extraordinary objects, things that convey collective narratives as well as a record of conservation evoke extraordinary feelings. Both the physical characteristics of the objects and the myths surrounding them may increase their meaning, lending them an inherent power. The design, language of form, as well as the materials used are essential elements in creating the objects’ charisma and in forming the stories that are told about them. The present volume explores the concept of charismatic objects and their material world through nine papers focusing on historical examples dating from the Roman Period to the late Middle Ages. Press link to get Open Access
In this article, I discuss the significance of foreign objects and foreign material culture in Vi... more In this article, I discuss the significance of foreign objects and foreign material culture in Viking-Age Scandinavia. Changes in the use of imported objects as dress accessories show that Scandinavian peoples gradually became closer to the international community through the adaptation of foreign customs. These changes signal a shift in how Scandinavians viewed their non-Scandinavian neighbours. A study of the appropriation of foreign objects can help us to appreciate how complex the transformation of society in this era was. The article is based on a comprehensive study of the use of foreign objects in eastern Norway (Aannestad 2015).
Charismatic Objects. From Roman Times to the Middle Ages , 2018
There are few groups of prehistoric objects that have such allure as the Viking sword. In movies ... more There are few groups of prehistoric objects that have such allure as the Viking sword. In movies and literature, the Viking sword is described and depicted, drawing on both written sources and archaeological material. This contemporary fascination mirrors Early Medieval written sources in which swords are portrayed as the most important weapon. Approximately 1700 swords dated to the Viking Age have been found in Norway, the majority in graves. A number of these swords were severely damaged and rendered unusable before deposition in the grave. The blades were beaten, bent or twisted, sometimes folded together in a way that needs preparation, expertise and equipment. The fact that these swords were subjected to special treatment, handled in a different manner than the rest of the grave goods, underscores the distinctive role of swords in Norse society. In this article I will discuss the deliberate destruction of swords and other weapons from a cultural historical point of view. The irregular treatment of these swords is embedded both in the cultural historical perception of swords and in funerary rituals. A survey of Early Medieval written sources and archaeological material is essential for a more profound understanding of the phenomenon. This study shows that even if the idea of a biographical or animated presence in a certain sword demanded a ritual for ‘killing’ these powerful Objects during burial rituals, the bending, twisting and destruction of swords and other weapons must also be seen as an expression of a more general idea of swords, weapons and funerary rituals in Late Iron Age and Viking Age Scandinavia.
Our heroes, the Vikings – a portrait of a historical period
Even though the Viking Age only cov... more Our heroes, the Vikings – a portrait of a historical period
Even though the Viking Age only covers a time span of roughly 200 years, it is one of the most known and discussed periods in North European and Scandinavian early medieval history, both inside and outside of academia. This article examines the history of the modern concept of the Viking Age, both in academia and as a wider cultural phenomenon. The point of departure is the Viking Age exhibition on the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo that opened in 1993. The Exhibition caused a somewhat heated discussion in the academic field of archaeology and Viking Age studies about the way the period was presented to the audience. The exhibitions of Vikings in museums presents the current academic knowledge of the period, but as an arena of communication, the exhibitions must also acknowledge the different perceptions of the Vikings in popular culture. As a consequence, the museum exhibition turns out to be important meeting points for different fields of knowledge. Today the Vikings are a heterogeneous concept. Both inside and outside academia, the perspectives has moved from the singular Viking World to the plural Viking Worlds. Apart from being an important period of transformation in Scandinavia in early medieval history, the conception of the Viking Age in contemporary culture is also a result of the invention and reinvention of the Vikings in our own image.
Objects across borders - Their Study and Their Potential
This paper discusses the potential in t... more Objects across borders - Their Study and Their Potential
This paper discusses the potential in the study of non-local or imported objects in archaeology. I draw on examples from Viking Period contexts in Scandinavia, and aim to show that different perspectives on theory and methodology offer a broader understanding of cultural encounters in past societies through the study of the movement of material culture. However, different theoretical perspectives must complement each other for each to reach their full potential.
20. mai 1838 fant Hartvig Fossnes et kar av bronse i en haug på eiendommen sin Fossnes i Ytre San... more 20. mai 1838 fant Hartvig Fossnes et kar av bronse i en haug på eiendommen sin Fossnes i Ytre Sandsvær. Dette var den første av i alt fem hauger på Fossnes som ble åpnet i løpet av et par somre og hvis innhold ble oversendt til Oldsaksamlingen (i dag Kulturhistorisk museum) i 1840. I to av haugene ble det funnet bronsekar og i den tredje haug en mindre bronseskål sammen med en blyklump. I de to siste haugene ble det funnet leirkar. De tre bronsebeholderne kommer alle fra Romerriket, mens leirkarene er lokale produkter.
Preliminary report on a metal detecting search at a farmstead in Southeast Norway. The search was... more Preliminary report on a metal detecting search at a farmstead in Southeast Norway. The search was carried out as a successfull cooperation between heritage management authorities and private metal detector enthusiasts. The paper is published digitally at: http://www.norark.no/innsikt/metallsoking-pa-sem-ovre-eiker/
Aannestad, Hanne Lovise (2014). Kulturmøter i vikingtid. Importgjenstander i gravene på Gulli, I:... more Aannestad, Hanne Lovise (2014). Kulturmøter i vikingtid. Importgjenstander i gravene på Gulli, I: Cecilia Gustavsen (red.), Hauglagt - vikingenes gravskikk på Gulli. Vestfoldmuseene. Kapittel 5. s 38 - 45.
Cultural Meetings in the Viking Age. Imported Objects in the graves at Gulli. The article discusses the imported objects from the Viking Age grave field at Gulli in Vestfold, Norway. The grave field contained 20 graves that were excavated in 2003 and 2004. There were found imported Objects or copies of imported objects in seven of the graves. These objects offer an important perspective on Viking Age Scandinavia, about the travel and overseas Exchange. Moreover, they reveal information about the individuals that were buries With the Objects. Imported goods like jewelry and weapons were probably used as a way of expressing social status and prestige in the Viking Age society.
The paper discusses the decorated swords of the Viking Age. Based on the descriptions in the Nors... more The paper discusses the decorated swords of the Viking Age. Based on the descriptions in the Norse literature, the sword was the male jewellery par excellence of the Viking Age with several passages referring to decorated swords, swords with gilded and silvered hilts and blades that shine of beauty and death. The mythical sagas tell of magical swords forged by dwarfs. The creation of myths around the art of the blacksmith and the making of high-quality swords may be related to the fact that few people mastered the art. The production of metal objects of high quality may have been a form of hidden knowledge unavailable to most people. This gave the objects a magical aura. The many similarities between the swords in the archaeological record and the descriptions of swords in Norse and Mediaeval literature suggest that ontology of the ornate swords in the latter had roots in the Viking notions of the power, magic and ritual aspects of swords. The way swords are referred to in the sagas suggests that the sword is an important bearer of the identity of the warrior. A sword reveals the warrior’s social status, his position of power and his strength. The Viking Age was a period of great social upheaval. At times like that, certain symbolic objects may play an important role in negotiating social positions. There is much to suggest that certain swords became inalienable objects, as representations of the status and power of the warrior and his clan. The swords are featured not only as symbolic markers of status, but as powerful objects that contains magic and potential.
This article aims to analyze the symbolic aspects of the keys found in graves from the Late Iron ... more This article aims to analyze the symbolic aspects of the keys found in graves from the Late Iron Age and Viking Age in Scandinavia. The relationship is discussed from the archaeological evidence and early medieval written sources. Keys appear for the first time in graves in the migration period and are found throughout the Iron Age. Archaeological evidence shows that in Late Iron Age/Viking Age there are two main categories of keys, plain iron keys and bronze keys. The latter are almost exclusively linked to female graves. From 11th to 13th century written sources we know that keys were associated with the social role as housewife and the ritual of marriage. Bronze keys were probably carried as visual symbols of the housewife’s power within the Iron Age household.
Do all Roads lead to Kaupang? On exchange and transport along the Numedalslågen river in the Viki... more Do all Roads lead to Kaupang? On exchange and transport along the Numedalslågen river in the Viking Age. This article presents objects from two graves from the 9th century in Buskerud, Norway. Both graves contain objects of non-Scandinavian provenance and this indicates a connection
with oversea trade networks in Viking Age Scandinavia. The graves are used in an argumentation for the existence of non-permanent trading site in a network of the exchange
of products from the high mountain area of Hardangervidda and the upper valley of Numedalen to Skiringssalskaupangen.
In the study of trade and exchange in Viking Age Norway the focus has to a large extent been on the role of international trade and trading networks. However, the inland trade must
have been extensive, and both the control of primary production in high mountain areas and the control of trading routes must have been important economical factors in the establishment
of chiefdoms and the process of early state formation.
Extraordinary objects, things that convey collective narratives as well as a record of conservati... more Extraordinary objects, things that convey collective narratives as well as a record of conservation evoke extraordinary feelings. Both the physical characteristics of the objects and the myths surrounding them may increase their meaning, lending them an inherent power. The design, language of form, as well as the materials used are essential elements in creating the objects’ charisma and in forming the stories that are told about them. The present volume explores the concept of charismatic objects and their material world through nine papers focusing on historical examples dating from the Roman Period to the late Middle Ages.
Transformations. The use and reuse of imported objects in Viking Age Eastern Norway
English s... more Transformations. The use and reuse of imported objects in Viking Age Eastern Norway
English summary:
The Viking Age is characterized by an increased contact between Scandinavia and the British Isles, continental Europe, Russia and the Baltics. The imported objects found in Scandinavia give evidence of this contact. A majority of the imported objects preserved in the archaeological record have been used as dress accessories. This includes both objects originally produced as dress accessories, and morphologically and functionally altered objects.
This study seeks a comprehensive understanding of the imported objects in Viking Age Eastern Norway by using different theoretical and methodological perspectives. The movement of material culture involves a transformation of the meaning and significance of an object. The study examines how material culture is assigned with different meanings in different cultural contexts. Through being appropriated into existing material and cultural practices in Scandinavia, the objects were invested with new meanings. Various aspects of these transformation processes are discussed in a cultural and historical context.
The analysis of the transformation and use of imported dress accessories provides new knowledge of the changes in the Scandinavian Society in this period. The appropriation of imported objects can be seen as a culturally, socially and ideologically situated practice that reflects different aspects of the relationship between Scandinavia and overseas during this period. The objects represented a form of materialized prestige whose meaning was rooted in the Old Norse worldview. The increasing tendency to accumulate imported objects, coins and precious metals in graves and depots from the mid-800s reflects an increasing stability in the international interactions. During the Viking Age, more permanent exchange networks were established. The developments in the appropriation and use of imported objects also illustrate a cultural and ideological assimilation between Scandinavia and the rest of Europe in this period. equipment costume gives an extended insight into change processes
Sammendrag norsk:
Vikingtiden kjennetegnes blant annet av en økt kontakt mellom Skandinavia og De britiske øyer, kontinentet, Russland og Baltikum. De mange importerte gjenstandene som er funnet i Skandinavia vitner om denne utviklingen. Et flertall av de bevarte importgjenstandene ble benyttet som draktutsmykning. Dette omfattet både gjenstander som opprinnelig var produsert som draktutstyr og gjenstander med andre funksjoner som ble omarbeidet til draktutstyr i Skandinavia. Importgjenstandene ble innlemmet i eksisterende materielle og kulturelle praksiser. Appropriasjonen av import innebar både morfologiske og funksjonelle endringer av gjenstandene og transformasjoner av gjenstandene som meningsbærende objekter. I avhandlingen blir ulike aspekter av disse transformasjonsprosessene diskutert. Gjennom å studere materialet fra ulike metodiske og teoretiske perspektiver etterstrebes det en helhetlig forståelse av innlemmelsen, bruken og betydningen av disse gjenstandene.
Innlemmelse av importgjenstander i draktutstyret kan ses på som en kulturelt, sosialt og ideologisk situert praksis som reflekterer aspekter av forholdet mellom Skandinavia og gjenstandenes opprinnelsessteder. Gjennom hele periode representerte importgjenstandene en form for materialisert prestisje hvis betydning var forankret i det norrøne verdensbildet. Analysen av omforming og bruk av importert draktutstyr gir også en utvidet innsikt i endringsprosessene i vikingtid. Den økende tendensen til akkumulering av import i graver og depoter fra midten av 800-tallet reflekterer en større stabilitet i utenlandsforbindelsene gjennom at enkelte aktører, ætter eller grupper etablerer mer varige utvekslingsnettverk. Utviklingen i omforming og bruk av importerte gjenstander viser også en kulturell og ideologisk tilnærming mellom Skandinavia og utlandet i løpet av vikingtiden.
Preliminary program for ViS 2018 Conference: "Weaving war: New perspectives on violence and socie... more Preliminary program for ViS 2018 Conference: "Weaving war: New perspectives on violence and society in the Viking-Age"
The Centre of Viking-Age studies (ViS) and the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, ar... more The Centre of Viking-Age studies (ViS) and the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, are pleased to announce that the international ViS-conference 2018 will take place in Oslo 12-14 December 2018. The goal of the conference is to stimulate debate and reflection, and to present the current state of research on violence, conflict and warfare in the Viking Age. Violence, warfare and warrior ideology are seen as vital components in understanding Viking society, and the many facets of a warrior society appear through landscapes, material culture, religion, poetry, and in traces of ritualised actions and gendered practices. Warfare also present ambiguities: Weapons were instruments for terror and murder, but they also formed the basis for identity and self-esteem. The brutal realities of violence stands in contrast to the idealized images of warriors met with admiration and honour. Violence and warfare are linked to aggression and power, but intrinsically also bound to fear, bereavement and loss. Conflicts and warfare are based on drawing of thresholds for inclusion and exclusion, and even though warfare is fracturing and destructive, it can also create cohesion, social change and new political conditions. As scholars we regularly encounter the public perception of the violent Viking, calling also for reflection on the ways in which Viking violence and wars feed back into public dissemination and the present Viking fascination.
The Centre of Viking-Age studies (ViS) and the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, ar... more The Centre of Viking-Age studies (ViS) and the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, are pleased to announce that the international ViS-conference 2018 will take place in Oslo 12 -14 December 2018. The goal of the conference is to stimulate debate and reflection, and to present the current state of research on violence, conflict and warfare in the Viking Age.
Deadline for submission of abstracts for papers and Pecha-Kucha presentations is 15 July 2018.
Deadline for registration to the conference is 15 November 2018.
Vikingtiden kjennetegnes blant annet av at folk fra Skandinavia reiste ut. Dette er perioden hvor... more Vikingtiden kjennetegnes blant annet av at folk fra Skandinavia reiste ut. Dette er perioden hvor skandinavere for første gang gjør seg gjeldende på den globale arenaen gjennom handel, plyndring og migrasjon i stor skala. I tradisjonelle forklaringsmodeller for vikingtiden har økonomiske, demografiske og politiske årsaker blitt vektlagt, men i de senere år har det også vært en økende interesse for de sosiale og ideologiske drivkreftene i utviklingen. Artikkelen argumenterer for at utviklingen også må ses i lys av sosiale og kulturelle og ideologiske faktorer i det norrøne samfunnet. http://www.historieblogg.no/?p=2629
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Papers by Hanne Lovise Aannestad
Even though the Viking Age only covers a time span of roughly 200 years, it is one of the most known and discussed periods in North European and Scandinavian early medieval history, both inside and outside of academia. This article examines the history of the modern concept of the Viking Age, both in academia and as a wider cultural phenomenon. The point of departure is the Viking Age exhibition on the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo that opened in 1993. The Exhibition caused a somewhat heated discussion in the academic field of archaeology and Viking Age studies about the way the period was presented to the audience.
The exhibitions of Vikings in museums presents the current academic knowledge of the period, but as an arena of communication, the exhibitions must also acknowledge the different perceptions of the Vikings in popular culture. As a consequence, the museum exhibition turns out to be important meeting points for different fields of knowledge. Today the Vikings are a heterogeneous concept. Both inside and outside academia, the perspectives has moved from the singular Viking World to the plural Viking Worlds. Apart from being an important period of transformation in Scandinavia in early medieval history, the conception of the Viking Age in contemporary culture is also a result of the invention and reinvention of the Vikings in our own image.
This paper discusses the potential in the study of non-local or imported
objects in archaeology. I draw on examples from Viking Period contexts in Scandinavia, and aim to show that different perspectives on theory and methodology offer a broader understanding of cultural encounters in past societies through the study of the movement of material culture. However, different theoretical perspectives must complement each other for each to reach their full potential.
The paper is published digitally at: http://www.norark.no/innsikt/metallsoking-pa-sem-ovre-eiker/
Cultural Meetings in the Viking Age. Imported Objects in the graves at Gulli.
The article discusses the imported objects from the Viking Age grave field at Gulli in Vestfold, Norway. The grave field contained 20 graves that were excavated in 2003 and 2004. There were found imported Objects or copies of imported objects in seven of the graves. These objects offer an important perspective on Viking Age Scandinavia, about the travel and overseas Exchange. Moreover, they reveal information about the individuals that were buries With the Objects. Imported goods like jewelry and weapons were probably used as a way of expressing social status and prestige in the Viking Age society.
The mythical sagas tell of magical swords forged by dwarfs. The creation of myths around the art of the blacksmith and the making of high-quality swords may be related to the fact that few people mastered the art. The production of metal objects of high quality may have been a form of hidden knowledge unavailable to most people. This gave the objects a magical aura.
The many similarities between the swords in the archaeological record and the descriptions of swords in Norse and Mediaeval literature suggest that ontology of the ornate swords in the latter had roots in the Viking notions of the power, magic and ritual aspects of swords. The way swords are referred to in the sagas suggests that the sword is an important bearer of the identity of the warrior. A sword reveals the warrior’s social status, his position of power and his strength. The Viking Age was a period of great social upheaval. At times like that, certain symbolic objects may play an important role in negotiating social positions. There is much to suggest that certain swords became inalienable objects, as representations of the status and power of the warrior and his clan. The swords are featured not only as symbolic markers of status, but as powerful objects that contains magic and potential.
with oversea trade networks in Viking Age Scandinavia. The graves are used in an argumentation for the existence of non-permanent trading site in a network of the exchange
of products from the high mountain area of Hardangervidda and the upper valley of Numedalen to Skiringssalskaupangen.
In the study of trade and exchange in Viking Age Norway the focus has to a large extent been on the role of international trade and trading networks. However, the inland trade must
have been extensive, and both the control of primary production in high mountain areas and the control of trading routes must have been important economical factors in the establishment
of chiefdoms and the process of early state formation.
Even though the Viking Age only covers a time span of roughly 200 years, it is one of the most known and discussed periods in North European and Scandinavian early medieval history, both inside and outside of academia. This article examines the history of the modern concept of the Viking Age, both in academia and as a wider cultural phenomenon. The point of departure is the Viking Age exhibition on the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo that opened in 1993. The Exhibition caused a somewhat heated discussion in the academic field of archaeology and Viking Age studies about the way the period was presented to the audience.
The exhibitions of Vikings in museums presents the current academic knowledge of the period, but as an arena of communication, the exhibitions must also acknowledge the different perceptions of the Vikings in popular culture. As a consequence, the museum exhibition turns out to be important meeting points for different fields of knowledge. Today the Vikings are a heterogeneous concept. Both inside and outside academia, the perspectives has moved from the singular Viking World to the plural Viking Worlds. Apart from being an important period of transformation in Scandinavia in early medieval history, the conception of the Viking Age in contemporary culture is also a result of the invention and reinvention of the Vikings in our own image.
This paper discusses the potential in the study of non-local or imported
objects in archaeology. I draw on examples from Viking Period contexts in Scandinavia, and aim to show that different perspectives on theory and methodology offer a broader understanding of cultural encounters in past societies through the study of the movement of material culture. However, different theoretical perspectives must complement each other for each to reach their full potential.
The paper is published digitally at: http://www.norark.no/innsikt/metallsoking-pa-sem-ovre-eiker/
Cultural Meetings in the Viking Age. Imported Objects in the graves at Gulli.
The article discusses the imported objects from the Viking Age grave field at Gulli in Vestfold, Norway. The grave field contained 20 graves that were excavated in 2003 and 2004. There were found imported Objects or copies of imported objects in seven of the graves. These objects offer an important perspective on Viking Age Scandinavia, about the travel and overseas Exchange. Moreover, they reveal information about the individuals that were buries With the Objects. Imported goods like jewelry and weapons were probably used as a way of expressing social status and prestige in the Viking Age society.
The mythical sagas tell of magical swords forged by dwarfs. The creation of myths around the art of the blacksmith and the making of high-quality swords may be related to the fact that few people mastered the art. The production of metal objects of high quality may have been a form of hidden knowledge unavailable to most people. This gave the objects a magical aura.
The many similarities between the swords in the archaeological record and the descriptions of swords in Norse and Mediaeval literature suggest that ontology of the ornate swords in the latter had roots in the Viking notions of the power, magic and ritual aspects of swords. The way swords are referred to in the sagas suggests that the sword is an important bearer of the identity of the warrior. A sword reveals the warrior’s social status, his position of power and his strength. The Viking Age was a period of great social upheaval. At times like that, certain symbolic objects may play an important role in negotiating social positions. There is much to suggest that certain swords became inalienable objects, as representations of the status and power of the warrior and his clan. The swords are featured not only as symbolic markers of status, but as powerful objects that contains magic and potential.
with oversea trade networks in Viking Age Scandinavia. The graves are used in an argumentation for the existence of non-permanent trading site in a network of the exchange
of products from the high mountain area of Hardangervidda and the upper valley of Numedalen to Skiringssalskaupangen.
In the study of trade and exchange in Viking Age Norway the focus has to a large extent been on the role of international trade and trading networks. However, the inland trade must
have been extensive, and both the control of primary production in high mountain areas and the control of trading routes must have been important economical factors in the establishment
of chiefdoms and the process of early state formation.
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English summary:
The Viking Age is characterized by an increased contact between Scandinavia and the British Isles, continental Europe, Russia and the Baltics. The imported objects found in Scandinavia give evidence of this contact. A majority of the imported objects preserved in the archaeological record have been used as dress accessories. This includes both objects originally produced as dress accessories, and morphologically and functionally altered objects.
This study seeks a comprehensive understanding of the imported objects in Viking Age Eastern Norway by using different theoretical and methodological perspectives. The movement of material culture involves a transformation of the meaning and significance of an object. The study examines how material culture is assigned with different meanings in different cultural contexts. Through being appropriated into existing material and cultural practices in Scandinavia, the objects were invested with new meanings. Various aspects of these transformation processes are discussed in a cultural and historical context.
The analysis of the transformation and use of imported dress accessories provides new knowledge of the changes in the Scandinavian Society in this period. The appropriation of imported objects can be seen as a culturally, socially and ideologically situated practice that reflects different aspects of the relationship between Scandinavia and overseas during this period. The objects represented a form of materialized prestige whose meaning was rooted in the Old Norse worldview. The increasing tendency to accumulate imported objects, coins and precious metals in graves and depots from the mid-800s reflects an increasing stability in the international interactions. During the Viking Age, more permanent exchange networks were established. The developments in the appropriation and use of imported objects also illustrate a cultural and ideological assimilation between Scandinavia and the rest of Europe in this period. equipment costume gives an extended insight into change processes
Sammendrag norsk:
Vikingtiden kjennetegnes blant annet av en økt kontakt mellom Skandinavia og De britiske øyer, kontinentet, Russland og Baltikum. De mange importerte gjenstandene som er funnet i Skandinavia vitner om denne utviklingen. Et flertall av de bevarte importgjenstandene ble benyttet som draktutsmykning. Dette omfattet både gjenstander som opprinnelig var produsert som draktutstyr og gjenstander med andre funksjoner som ble omarbeidet til draktutstyr i Skandinavia. Importgjenstandene ble innlemmet i eksisterende materielle og kulturelle praksiser. Appropriasjonen av import innebar både morfologiske og funksjonelle endringer av gjenstandene og transformasjoner av gjenstandene som meningsbærende objekter. I avhandlingen blir ulike aspekter av disse transformasjonsprosessene diskutert. Gjennom å studere materialet fra ulike metodiske og teoretiske perspektiver etterstrebes det en helhetlig forståelse av innlemmelsen, bruken og betydningen av disse gjenstandene.
Innlemmelse av importgjenstander i draktutstyret kan ses på som en kulturelt, sosialt og ideologisk situert praksis som reflekterer aspekter av forholdet mellom Skandinavia og gjenstandenes opprinnelsessteder. Gjennom hele periode representerte importgjenstandene en form for materialisert prestisje hvis betydning var forankret i det norrøne verdensbildet. Analysen av omforming og bruk av importert draktutstyr gir også en utvidet innsikt i endringsprosessene i vikingtid. Den økende tendensen til akkumulering av import i graver og depoter fra midten av 800-tallet reflekterer en større stabilitet i utenlandsforbindelsene gjennom at enkelte aktører, ætter eller grupper etablerer mer varige utvekslingsnettverk. Utviklingen i omforming og bruk av importerte gjenstander viser også en kulturell og ideologisk tilnærming mellom Skandinavia og utlandet i løpet av vikingtiden.
Deadline for submission of abstracts for papers and Pecha-Kucha presentations is 15 July 2018.
Deadline for registration to the conference is 15 November 2018.
http://www.khm.uio.no/forskning/forskergrupper/vis/arrangementer/vis-conference-2018.html