PREVIOUS   NEXT   MAIN MAP   CONTENTS   HOME 

Sweden and Finland

Map of Sweden and Finland showing comb finds
Legend

Overview

In eastern Scandinavia, we have a considerable quantity of data to work with, given the publication of collections from well-known sites such as Birka (Ambrosiani 1981; 1984) and Lund (Mårtensson and Wahlöö 1970; Persson 1976), and an important survey of material from the towns of Enköping, Nyköping, Söderköping, Uppsala, Orebro, and Lödöse (as well as Visby) (Broberg and Hasselmo 1981). More recently, excavations at sites such as Kungahälla have added significantly to the corpus, such that a new survey is justified.

Central Sweden | Southern Sweden | Åland | Finland

Synthesis

The Swedish comb collection is well studied, though it must be said that perceptions regarding its content are very much influenced by the material from a small number of signature sites (Birka in particular). Though a general chronological progression is noticeable, from Type 5 in the 8th and 9th centuries, through to Types 6 and 9 in the 10th and 11th centuries, and Type 13 from the 13th, there is considerable variability in the detail of these collections, and thus much potential for the identification of patterning. It is thus imperative that forthcoming analyses take note of collections from across the full range of site types, from furnished burials, to rural settlements, coastal markets, and urban centres. Finnish combs are less well synthesised, and while we await the excavation and publication of new comb material, any proposed sequence must remain tentative, though a certain degree of synergy with the Swedish collections is to be expected.

The comments facility has now been turned off.


 PREVIOUS   NEXT   MAIN MAP   CONTENTS   HOME 

© Internet Archaeology/Author(s)
University of York legal statements | Terms and Conditions | File last updated: Tue Sep 20 2011