The Scandinavians from the Vendel period to the tenth century : an ethnographic perspective : [papers presented at the fifth conference on Studies in historical archaeoethnology, 11th september to 15th september 1998

Using the evidence of archaeology, poetry, legal texts and annals, this volume investigates the social, economic and symbolic structures of early Scandinavia at the time of the Viking expansion. The contributors provide an outline ethnography, covering dwellings and settlements, kinship and social relations, law, political structures and external relations, rural and urban economies, and the ideology of warfare. The topics are discussed through case-studies from the contributors' recent research, illustrating the changing scholarly interpretations of this formative period in Scandinavian history. By addressing these key research questions, the contributions trace the background to and the impact of urbanisation and Christianisation, and the development of royal power, which stimulated the transition from the Viking Age to the medieval period in Scandinavia. This book brings together for the first time in English a wealth of current Scandinavian archaeological, historical and cultural research. Using The Evidence Of Archaeology, Poetry, Legal Texts And Annals, This Volume Investigates The Social, Economic And Symbolic Structures Of Early Scandinavia At The Time Of The Viking Expansion. The Topics Are Discussed Through Case Studies. Introduction / J. Jesch -- Dwellings And Settlements: Structure And Characteristics / B. Magnus -- Kinship And Social Relations In The Early Medieval Period In Svealand Elucidated By Dna / B. Arrhenius -- Kinship And Marriage: The Family, Its Relationships And Renewal / E. Vestergaard -- Law And Legal Customs In Viking Age Scandinavia / S. Brink -- Rural Economy: Ecology, Hunting, Pastoralism, Agricultural And Nutritional Aspects / L. Bender Jorgensen -- Patterns Of Settlement And Defence At The Proto-town On Birka, Lake Malar, Eastern Sweden / L. Holmquist Olausson -- Urban Economy In Southern Scandinavia In The Second Half Of The First Millennium Ad / S. Nielsen -- Vikings In The British Isles: A Question Of Sources / D. N. Dumville -- Eagles, Ravens And Wolves: Beasts Of Battle, Symbols Of Victory And Death / J. Jesch -- The Ludwigslied And The Battle Of Saucourt / D. H. Green -- Harald Bluetooth -- A Saint Very Nearly Made By Adam Of Bremen / N. Lund -- Current Issues And Future Directions In The Study Of The Scandinavians / G. Ausenda. Edited By Judith Jesch. This Volume Contains The Papers Presented At The Fifth Conference On 'studies In Historical Archaeoethnology' Organized By The Center For Interdisciplinary Research On Social Stress, Which Was Held In San Marino From 11th September To 15th September 1998--t.p. Verso. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Ethnographic studies trace the background to and impact of urbanisation and Christianisation, and the development of royal power, which stimulated the transition from the Viking age to the medieval period. Using the evidence of archaeology, poetry, legal texts and annals, this volume investigates the social, economic and symbolic structures of early Scandinavia at the time of the Viking expansion. The contributors provide an outlineethnograpjy, covering dwellings and settlements, kinship and social relations, law, political structures and external relations, rural and urban economies, and the ideology of warfare. The topics are discussed through case-studies from the contributors' recent research, illustrating the changing scholarly interpretations of this formative period in Scandinavian history. By addressing these key research questions, the contributions trace the background toand the impact of urbanisation and Christianisation, and the development of royal power, which stimulated the transition from the Viking age to the medieval period in Scandinavia. This book brings together for the first time in English a wealth of current Scandinavian archaeological, historical and cultural research. JUDITH JESCH is Reader in Viking Studies at the University of Nottingham. Contributors: LENA HOLMQUIST OLAUSSON, BENTE MAGNUS, E. VESTERGAARD, BIRGIT ARRHENIUS, STEFAN BRINK, LISE BENDER JORGENSEN, SVEND NIELSEN, FRANDS HERSCHEND, NIELS LUND, DAVID N. DUMVILLE, JUDITH JESCH, DENNIS H. GREEN. INTRODUCTION. Judith Jesch. 1 DWELLINGS AND SETTLEMENTS: STRUCTURE AND CHARACTERISTICS / Bente Magnus 5 KINSHIP AND SOCIAL RELATIONS IN THE EARLY MEDIEVAL PERIOD IN SVEALAND ELUCIDATED BY DNA / Birgit Arrhenius 45 KINSHIP AND MARRIAGE: THE FAMILY, ITS RELATIONSHIPS AND RENEWAL / Elisabeth Vestergaard 59 LAW AND LEGAL CUSTOMS IN VIKING AGE SCANDINAVIA / Stefan Brink 87 RURAL ECONOMY: ECOLOGY, HUNTING, PASTORALISM, AGRICULTURAL AND NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS / Lise Bender Jørgensen 129 PATTERNS OF SETTLEMENT AND DEFENCE AT THE PROTO-TOWN OF BIRKA, LAKE MÄLAR, EASTERN SWEDEN / Lena Holmquist Olausson 153 URBAN ECONOMY IN SOUTHERN SCANDINAVIA IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE FIRST MILLENNIUM AD / Svend Nielsen 177 VIKINGS IN THE BRITISH ISLES: A QUESTION OF SOURCES. David N. Dumville 209 EAGLES, RAVENS AND WOLVES: BEASTS OF BATTLE, SYMBOLS OF VICTORY AND DEATH / Judith Jesch 251 THE 'LUDWIGSLIED' AND THE BATTLE OF SAUCOURT / Dennis H. Green 281 HARALD BLUETOOTH - A SAINT VERY NEARLY MADE BY ADAM OF BREMEN / Niels Lund 303 CURRENT ISSUES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS IN THE STUDY OF THE SCANDINAVIANS / Summary of discussions with comments by Giorgio Ausenda 321 INDEX 353