We recently performed at Cromford Mills, a UNESCO world heritage site beside the River Derwent in Derbyshire. Besides the photos of combat and living history (which you can see on our Instagram feed), member Þorunn got round to photograph some of the interesting reproduction early medieval objects that members have collected.
Glass Beaker
A Frankish style ‘grape’ beaker, named for the grape-like globs that decorate the surface. This is the original from a Grave find, Birka, Bj 539, Adelsö Parish, Uppland, Sweden and is in the Historiska museet, Stockholm. Image rights: Jens Mohr, Historiska museet/SHM (CC BY 4.0)
Object number: 106815_HST
Arbman 1943 H. Arbman, Birka I. Die Gräber. Uppsala 1943 (2 Bde.)
Leather Flask
The leather flask or “flacket” is a 1/3rd scale reproduction based on the bog find at Cloonclose, County Leitrim, Ireland, which is now in the National Museum of Ireland. It’s dated between 6th-12th century.
Reproduction by Pictavia Leather
Silver Cup
A silver cup from a Viking-age hoard discovered in the 19th Century near Gammel Lejre, Sjælland, Denmark. It bears similarities to other silver cups from the period, such as the ‘pix’ from the Vale of York Hoard in the UK, though the winged creature might represent the Norse goddess Freya rather than being Christian iconography. The original is in the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen.
Reproduction by Dar Wiewiorka (Nordulf)
Spur or Garter Buckle
These small copper-alloy buckles, used as a dress accessory or for spurs are found in several places around the UK, including in places associated with the Micel Here or ‘Great Army.’ Finds at Carlisle Cathedral and Lincolnshire.
Reproduction by Króka Thurston’s Workshop
Mccarthy, M. et al. (2014). A Post-Roman Sequence at Carlisle Cathedral. Archaeological Journal, 171(1), 185–257.
Sword
The sword is a based on a number of finds. It is classified as Geibig Blade Type 2 (750s-950s) with 3 bands of pattern welded rod visible, and a reverse twist reminiscent of the 8thC sword from Vehmaa, Lahdinko, Finland in Ian Pierce’s book Swords of the Viking Age.
It is paired with a Geibig Combination Type6/Petersen type O(1) hilt, based on one kept in the Museum of Archaeology, Gottorf Castle, Schleswig, Germany, close to the Viking-age emporia of Hedeby/Haithabu.
The hilt is cast in bronze with silver wire twist decoration. The Type O is a Scandinavian innovation of the largely Frankish Type K hilts. The O1 refers to a later classification of hollow cast bronze.
The idea is that it’s an older blade that has been rehilted at some point to a more ‘modern’ style.
Blade by Paul Binns Swords, hilt by Alban Depper (Northan Viking Silver) with research by Roland Warzecha.