Errata

Zwei Kammergräber des 10. Jahrhunderts aus der Stadt Izjaslavs und Vladimirs in Kie

Zwei Kammergräber des 10. Jahrhunderts aus der Stadt Izjaslavs und Vladimirs in Kiev

In 2002 several chambergraves from the 10th century were excavated in the old town of Kiev. The richest equipped female grave — chambergrave No. 49, 1999 — from beneath the St. Michael’s Golden Domes from the city of Izyaslaus/Izjaslavs and the most important of the male chambergraves from the city of Vladimir are focused in this article. The breast jewellery and a round filigree decorated brooch from the female grave as well as the sword with its scabbard’s chape and the metal fittings of a leather bag from the male grave are taken into special consideration. Concerning construction and equipment a close connection to the chambergraves from Birka can be detected. The dead belonged to a leading person subgroup which via Scandinavia got into contact with west European Christianity

What really caused the Viking Age? The social content of raiding and exploration

The cause of the Viking Age is one of our longest-lived debates. A combination of push and pull factors and a catalysing environment instigated the late 8th-century escalation in maritime activity that ultimately led to social, political and religious transformation. Recent discussions have focused on the macro level, with little consideration of the individual gains to be made by raiding. This paper argues that rewards consisted in more than portable wealth. In the flexible hierarchies of the Viking Age, those who took advantage of opportunities to enhance their social capital stood to gain significantly. The lure of the raid was thus more than booty; it was about winning and preserving power through the enchantment of travel and the doing of deeds. This provides an important correction to models that focus on the need for portable wealth; the act of acquiring silver was as important as the silver itself

The origins of Odense – new aspects of early urbanisation in southern Scandinavia

The article presents an updated study of the centuries prior to Odense’s traditional ‘birth certificate’ of AD 988, resulting in a new model for the urbanisation of Odense. The conclusion reached is that there was activity of a permanent and possibly urban character in Odense from the end of the late eighth century until the late tenth century. The town’s development can be followed through three phases. Phases 1 and 2 cover the periods AD 700–900 and AD 900–100, respectively, while phase 3 covers the period AD 1000-1101. During phases 1 and 2, the proto-town develops through bottomup processes, such as network, crafts and possibly trade. After AD 1000, Odense develops into a town proper, under royal influence. The model from Odense provides the background for a fresh view of urbanisation in southern Scandinavia in general. A three-phase model is proposed. Phase 0 constitutes the emporia of the eighth–ninth century, which perhaps primarily is satellites in a trading network controlled from the south. Phase 1 takes the form of locally initiated and based incipient urbanisation extending from the end of the eighth century until the tenth century. Phase 2 comprises the royally established towns from around AD 1000 onwards