Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
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Fig. 15. Sketch map of Early Bronze Age concentrations of grave finds in Denmark and surrounding areas. Shading shows the density of find,
correlating with the degree of chronological resolution. After Zimmermann (1988).
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Fig. 16. Distribution of various types/classes of full metal-hilted swords from Period II. After Struve (1971), as based on Ottenjann (1969).
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common down to a line about present-day HannoverBerlin, which probably indicates a series of meeting
places between the North and the South (cf. Thrane
1975, Fig. 128 for the Late Bronze Age). Towards the
East, along the southern Baltic coast, there are clearly
contacts as far as present-day Lithuania: Baltic artefacts commonly found in Denmark, perhaps a reflection of raids. The main bulk of imports, however,
clearly stem from Central Europe, rich in metals and
information about countries further to the South and
Southeast. There is no or next to no contact across
the North Sea. Some links are with Northwestern Germany, but rarely further on, towards Western Europe.
Evidently, this area is of lesser interest, except, perhaps, for its gold and, possibly, even tin.
Further communication, even expeditions, were
no doubt necessary - putting the material dimension
first - to ensure the vital import of copper, tin, bronze,
and gold, as well as certain foreign artefacts and articles by participating in exchanges and commerce. On
the related level, acquisition of information, participation in crucial ritual gatherings, establishment and
WARFARE
Fig. 20. Chart of real and supposed boat-crews and their weaponry: Torsted (AK X 4761), Rrby (AK II 617), Simris 19 (Althin 1945, 72f. &
Taf. 1f.), Frjk (AK X 4809), Hjortspring (Randsborg 1995). Randsborg del
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(van der Sanden 1996, 124 etc., with Figs. 170, 173 &
205). Use of large screen-shields, on the contemporary Greek model, can not be ruled out, but there
is no evidence (including no images of such). From
the later Early Bronze Age in the middle Elbe area
(contemporary with the later Late Neolithic in the
North), bossed bronze pendants are known that look
like large shields with a mushroom-shaped upper part
and a pointed lower part separated by two powerful notches (von Brunn 1959, Taf. 29:3, Gda-Birkau,
Bautzen County).
Metal bosses, perhaps for a smaller round shield
of organic material (wood), have been found in a
grave at Hagenau, Southern Germany, contemporary with Period II in the North (Randsborg 1995,
149 Fig. 41). This rich interment also held an axe,
a long sword, a shorter sword (or long dagger), and
various other items, but no spear, even though there
was room for such in the grave. In a Period II grave
at rskovhedehus, Vejle County, three heavy obviously ornamental bosses, 3.0 cm in diameter, with
large conical heads (1.8 cm tall) and powerful nails
were found a flange-hilted sword imitating Aegean
ones (Randsborg 1967; AK IX 4510A). Clearly, the
bosses were once nailed onto a powerful flat smooth
and likely wooden object, at least 1.2 centimetres
thick. Such may well have been a small shield (Iron
Age shields were this thin). Interpretation of the
bosses or studs as decoration at the end of a ferrule seems much less likely, since such would have
been very large, the bosses likely four in number,
and have moved considerably in the grave. On the
other hand, this might in fact be the case if a nearby
arrow head is the tip of the sword blade.