Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T20:39:58.309Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Appearance in Bronze Age Scandinavia as Seen from the Nybøl burial

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2017

Sophie Bergerbrant ,
Lise Bender Jørgensen  and
Sølvi Helene Fossøy
Sophie Bergerbrant*
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology and Religious Studies, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
Lise Bender Jørgensen*
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology and Religious Studies, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
Sølvi Helene Fossøy*
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology and Religious Studies, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
*
[email: sophie.bergerbrant@ntnu.no]
[email: lise.bender@ntnu.no]
[email: solvi.fossoy@ntnu.no]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The objective of this article is to study cloth and appearance in the Bronze Age based on the evidence from a previously overlooked oak-log coffin find, the Nybøl burial. The textiles have been investigated and our results compared with cloth from four well-known oak-log coffins: Muldbjerg, Trindhøj, and Borum Eshøj graves A and B. Our analysis demonstrates that this burial contained the coarsest cloth on record to date from the Scandinavian Bronze Age, and that it included some cloth items that are not previously known from the above-mentioned graves. The items of clothing the different textiles may have derived from are discussed, as well as the appearance of the deceased in relation to Bronze Age society. We conclude that this burial contained a previously unknown costume type, but that it is a variation of the others rather than an entirely new category.

Cet article étudie les tissus et l'apparence de l'Âge du Bronze en se basant sur les preuves provenant du cercueil en chêne de la sépulture de Nybøl, une découverte négligée jusqu'alors. Après examination des tissus, nos résultats sont comparés aux tissus de quatre cercueils en chêne bien connus: Muldbjerg, Trindhøje et Borum Eshøj tombes A et B. Notre analyse montre que la sépulture de Nybøl contenait le tissu le plus grossier documenté pour l'Âge du Bronze scandinave à ce jour, et comprenait plusieurs pièces de tissu qui ne figuraient pas dans les tombes mentionnées plus haut. Nous considérons ensuite de quels vêtements les différents textiles pourraient être issus, et l'apparence des défunts par rapport à la société de l'Âge du Bronze. Nous concluons que cette sépulture contenait un genre de costume inconnu auparavant, et qu'il s'agit d'une variante plutôt que d'une catégorie tout à fait nouvelle. Translation by Isabelle Gerges.

Zusammenfassung

Zusammenfassung

Das Anliegen dieses Beitrages ist die Untersuchung von Kleidung und Aussehen in der Bronzezeit auf der Basis eines bislang unberücksichtigten Baumsarg-Fundes, dem Nybøl-Grab. Die Textilien wurden untersucht und unsere Ergebnisse mit den Stoffen von vier bekannten Baumsärgen – Muldbjerg, Trindhøj sowie Borum Eshøj (Gräber A und B) – verglichen. Unsere Analyse zeigt, dass dieses Grab die bislang gröbsten dokumentierten Stoffe der skandinavischen Bronzezeit sowie einige von den zuvor genannten Grabbefunden unbekannte textile Objekte enthielt. Die Stoffobjekte, von denen die verschiedenen Textilien herrühren könnten, werden ebenso diskutiert wie das Aussehen der Verstorbenen im Verhältnis zur bronzezeitlichen Gesellschaft. Wir schließen, dass diese Bestattung einen bislang unbekannten Trachttyp enthielt, der jedoch eher eine Variation bekannter Formen als eine völlig neue Kategorie darstellt. Translation by Heiner Schwarzberg.

Keywords

textilesclothingDenmarkgravessocial significancetextilevêtementsDanemarktombesignification socialeTextilTrachtDänemarkGrabsoziale Signifikanz
Type
Articles
Information
European Journal of Archaeology , Volume 16 , Issue 2 , 2013 , pp. 247 - 267
Copyright
Copyright © European Association of Archaeologists 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andersson Strand, E., Frei, K.M., Gleba, M., Mannering, U., Nosch, M.-L., Skals, I. 2010. Old Textiles – New Possibilities. European Journal of Archaeology, 13 (2): 149–73.Google Scholar
Aner, E., Kersten, K. 1973. Die Funde der Älteren Bronzezeit des Nordischen Kreises in Dänemark, Schleswig-Holstein und Niedersachsen, Fredriksborg und Københavns Amt, vol. I. Neumünster: Wachholtz Verlag.Google Scholar
Aner, E., Kersten, K. 1978. Die Funde der Älteren Bronzezeit des Nordischen Kreises in Dänemark, Schleswig-Holstein und Niedersachsen, Südschleswig-Ost, vol. IV. Neumünster: Wachholtz Verlag.Google Scholar
Aner, E., Kersten, K. 1981. Die Funde der Älteren Bronzezeit des Nordischen Kreises in Dänemark, Schleswig-Holstein und Niedersachsen, Nordslesvig – Syd, vol. VI. Neumünster: Wachholtz Verlag.Google Scholar
Aner, E., Kersten, K. 1984. Die Funde der Älteren Bronzezeit des Nordischen Kreises in Dänemark, Schleswig-Holstein und Niedersachsen, Nordslesvig – Nord, vol. VII. Neumünster: Wachholtz Verlag.Google Scholar
Aner, E., Kersten, K. 1986. Die Funde der Älteren Bronzezeit des Nordischen Kreises in Dänemark, Schleswig-Holstein und Niedersachsen, Ribe Amt, vol. VIII. Neumünster: Wachholtz Verlag.Google Scholar
Aner, E., Kersten, K. 1995. Die Funde der Älteren Bronzezeit des Nordischen Kreises in Dänemark, Schleswig-Holstein und Niedersachsen, Ringkøbing Amt, vol. X. Neumünster: Wachholtz Verlag.Google Scholar
Aner, E., Kersten, K. in press. Die Funde der Älteren Bronzezeit des Nordischen Kreises in Dänemark, Schleswig-Holstein und Niedersachsen Århus and Skanderborg Amt, vol. XIII. Neumünster: Wachholtz Verlag.Google Scholar
Asos Men's Size Guide. n.d. [online] [accessed 28 June 2012]. Available at: <http://www.asos.com/infopages/SizeGuide/pgesizechartMan.aspx?r=2>' href=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Asos+Men's+Size+Guide.+n.d.+[online]+[accessed+28+June+2012].+Available+at:+>Google Scholar
Bender Jørgensen, L. 1986. Forhistoriske Textile i Skandinavien. Prehistoric Scandinavian Textiles. Nordiske Fortidsminder Series B, No. 9. København: Det Kgl. Nordiske Oldskriftselskab.Google Scholar
Bender Jørgensen, L. 1990. A Bronze Age Oak Coffin from Nybøl, Denmark. Archaeological Textiles Newsletter, 1990 (10): 11.Google Scholar
Bender Jørgensen, L. 1992. North European Textiles Until AD 1000. Aarhus: Aarhus University Press.Google Scholar
Bergerbrant, S. 1999. Body, Sex and Gender – Constructing Appearance in Archaeology. In: Nordström, P., Svedin, M., eds. Aktuell Arkeologi VII. Stockholm: Stockholm University, pp. 147–54.Google Scholar
Bergerbrant, S. 2007. Bronze Age Identity: Costume, Conflict and Contact in Northern Europe 1600–1300 BC. Stockholm Studies in Archaeology, No. 43. Lindome: Bricoleur Press.Google Scholar
Boye, V. 1896. Fund af Egekister fra Bronzealderen i Danmark. København: A.F. Høst & Søns Forlag.Google Scholar
Breuning-Madsen, H., Holst, M.K. 1998. Recent Studies on the Formation of Iron Pans around the Oaken Log Coffins of the Bronze Age Burial Mounds of Denmark. Journal of Archaeological Science, 25: 1103–10.Google Scholar
Broby-Johansen, R. 1994. Kropp och kläder. Klädedräktens konsthistoria. Stockholm: Rabén & Sjögren.Google Scholar
Broholm, H.C., Hald, M. 1940. Costumes of the Bronze Age in Denmark. København: Arnold Busck.Google Scholar
Bröste, K., Balslev Jørgensen, J. 1956. Prehistoric Man in Denmark. A Study in Physical Anthropology, vol. 1. Copenhagen: Einar Munksgaard Publishers.Google Scholar
Burke, B. 2007. From Minos to Midas. Ancient Cloth Production in the Aegean and in Anatolia. Oxford: Oxbow.Google Scholar
Christensen, K. 1998. Three-rings Dating of Bronze Age Oak Coffins from Denmark. In: Demakopoulou, K., Eluére, C., Jensen, J., Jockenhövel, A., Mohen, J.-P., eds. Gods and Heroes of the Bronze Age: Europe at the Time of Ulysses. London: Thames and Hudson Ltd.Google Scholar
Christensen, K. 2006. Dendrochronological Dating of Bronze Age Oak Coffins from Denmark and Schleswig. Acta Archaeologica, 77 (7): 163–246.Google Scholar
Comis, S.Y. 2003. Prehistoric Garments from the Netherlands. In: Bender Jørgensen, L., Banck-Burgess, J., Rast-Eicher, A., eds. Textilen aus Archäologie und Geschichte. Festschrift Klaus Tidow. Neumünster: Wachholz Verlag, pp. 193–204.Google Scholar
Craig, J. 1994. The Face of Fashion. Cultural Studies in Fashion. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Croom, A.T. 2000. Roman Clothing and Fashion. Stroud: Tempus Publishing Ltd.Google Scholar
Dagbladet , 22. August 1888.Google Scholar
Eicher, J.B., Roach-Higgins, M.E. 1992. Definition and Classification of Dress. Implications for Analysis of Gender Roles. In: Barnes, R., Eicher, J., eds. Dress and Gender. Making and Meaning. New York: Berg, pp. 2–28.Google Scholar
Evans, A. 1928. The Palace of Minos at Knossos II. London: Macmillan & Co. Ltd.Google Scholar
Fossøy, S.H. 2012. Rom for variasjon. En sstudie i bronsealderens tekstilhåndverk. Trondheim: Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet. [online] (2012) [accessed 1st August 2012]. Available at: <http://ntnu-no.academia.edu/S%C3%B8lviHeleneFoss%C3%B8y/Papers>Google Scholar
Gleba, M. 2008. You Are What You Wear: Scythian Costume as Identity. In: Gleba, M., Munkholt, C., Nosch, M.-L., eds. Dressing the Past. Oxford: Oxbow Books, pp. 13–28.Google Scholar
Grömer, K. 2007. Bronzezeitliche Gewebefunde aus Hallstatt – Ihr Kontext in der Textilkunde Mitteleuropas und die Entwicklung der Textiltechnologie zur Eisenzeit (unpublished doctoral dissertation, Universität Wien).Google Scholar
Hald, M. 1950. Olddanske Tekstiler. Nordiske Fortidsminder V. København: Det Kgl. Nordiske Oldskriftselskab.Google Scholar
Harris, S. 2008. Exploring the Materiality of Prehistoric Cloth-Types. In: Cunningham, P., Heeb, J., Paardekooper, R., eds. Experiencing Archaeology by Experiment. Oxford: Oxbow Books, pp. 81–102.Google Scholar
Harris, S. 2012. From the Parochial to the Universal: Comparing Cloth Cultures in the Bronze Age. European Journal of Archaeology, 15 (1): 61–97.Google Scholar
Hollander, A. 1980. Seeing Through Clothes. Fashioning Ourselves an Intriguing New Look at Image-Making. New York: Avon.Google Scholar
Jensen, J. 1998. Manden i kisten hvad bronzealderns gravhøje gemte. Copenhagen: Gyldendal.Google Scholar
Johansen, K.L., Laursen, S.T., Holst, M.K. 2003. Spatial Patterns of Social Organization in the Early Bronze Age in South Scandinavia. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, 23: 33–55.Google Scholar
Kristiansen, K. 1999. Symbolic structures and social Institutions. The Twin rulers in Bronze Age Europe. In: Gustafsson, A., Karlsson, H., eds. Glyfer och arkeologiska rum – een vänbok till Jarl Nordbladh. Gotarc Series A, vol. 3, Göteborg: Göteborg Universitet, pp. 537–52.Google Scholar
Lee, M. 2005. Constru(ct)ing Gender in Feminie Greek Peplos . In: Cleland, L., Harlow, M., Llewellyn-Jones, L., eds. The Clothed Body in the Ancient World. Oxford: Oxbow Books, pp. 55–64.Google Scholar
Mannering, U., Gleba, M., Bloch Hansen, M. 2012. Denmark. In: Gleba, M., Mannering, U., eds. Textiles and Textile Production in Europe. From Prehistory to AD 400. Oxford: Oxbow Books, pp. 91–118.Google Scholar
Nielsen, K.-H. 1971. Tilskæring. Skalk, 1971 (5): 13–5.Google Scholar
Østergaard, E. 1988. Bronzealderbæltet fra Bredhøj. Holstebro Museums Årsskrift, 1988: 35–43.Google Scholar
Paterson, M. 2007. The Senses of Touch: Haptics, Affects and Technologies. Oxford: Berg.Google Scholar
Randsborg, K. 2006. Opening the Oak-coffins. New Dates – New Perspectives. Acta Archaeologica Supplementa, 7: 1–162.Google Scholar
Randsborg, K. 2011. Bronze Age Textiles: Men, Women and Wealth. London: Bristol Classical Press.Google Scholar
Ryder, M.L. 1990. Danish Bronze Age Wools. Journal of Danish Archaeology, 7: 136–43.Google Scholar
Sofaer, J.R. 2006. The Body as Material Culture: A Theoretical Osteoarchaeology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Sørensen, M.L.S. 1997. Reading Dress: The Construction of Social Categories and Identities in Bronze Age Europe. Journal of European Archaeology, 5 (1): 93–114.Google Scholar
Streiter, A. 1988. Archäologische Textilien im Germanischen Nationalmuseum, Nürnberg. In: Bender Jørgensen, L., Magnus, B., Munksgaard, E., eds. Archaeological Textiles. Report from the 2nd NESAT Symposium 1.-4. V. 1984. København: Københavns Universitet, pp. 99–108.Google Scholar
Tidow, K. 1992. Wollgewebe aus dem Bronzezeitlichen Baumsargfund von Harrislee bei Flensburg. In: Bender Jørgensen, L., Munksgaard, E., eds. Archaeological Textiles in Northern Europe: Report from the 4th NESAT Symposium 1.-5. May 1990, in Copenhagen. Tidens Tand no 5. Copenhagen: Konservatorskolen Kulturhistorisk Linie, pp. 31–6.Google Scholar
Treherne, P. 1995. The Warrior's Beauty: The Masculine Body and Self-Identity in Bronze-Age Europe. Journal of European Archaeology, 3 (1): 105–44.Google Scholar
Van der Plicht, J., van der Sanden, W., Aerts, A.T., Streurman, H.J. 2004. Dating Bog Bodies by Means of 14C-AMS. Journal of Archaeological Science, 31 (2004): 471–91.Google Scholar
Van der Sanden, W. 1996. Udødeliggjorte i mosen. Historierne om de nordvesteuropæiske moselig. Amsterdam: Batavian Lion International.Google Scholar
Vogelsang-Eastwood, E. 1993. Pharaonic Egyptian Clothing. Leiden: E.J. Brill.Google Scholar
Walton, P. 1990. Wool in Bronze-Age Textiles from Nybøl, Hjordkaers., Rise H. Aabenraa amt, Denmark (unpublished report in the archives of Museum Sønderjylland).Google Scholar
Wels-Weyrauch, U. 1989. Mittelbronzezeitlich Frauentrachten in Süddeutschland (Beziehungen zur Hagenauer Gruppierung). In: Mordant, C. ed. Dynamique du Bronze Moyen en Europe Occidentale. Actes du 113e Congrès national des Sociétés Savantes, Strasbourg, 1988. Paris: Editions du CTHS, pp. 117–34.Google Scholar
Wiell, S. 2000. Kampen om Oldtiden – Der Kampf um die Vorgeschichte. Aabenraa: Skrifter fra Museumsrådet for Sønderjyllands Amt 7.Google Scholar
Wild, J.P. 1970. Textile Manufacture in the Northern Roman Privinces. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar