Cosmology, Death And Burial Flashcards
What style of burial was common amongst Vikings?
Both inhumation and cremation.
Where do examples of burial mounds exist?
Gamla Uppsala, Birka and Heath Wood, England.
What style of burials are present at Birka, Sweden and what are they associated with?
Chambered graves associated with the trading town
When was the boat burial of Tune excavated?
1864
When was the boat burial of Golstad excavated?
1880
When was the boat burial of Oseberg excavated?
1904
What examples of finds come from Oseberg?
A wagon Sledges Chests Lamps Tapestries Weaving equipment
What does the lack of jewellery from the Oseberg burial suggest?
either contemporary or antiquity robbery
What is interesting about the wagon from the Oseberg burial?
It was very advanced, could turn and be collapsed for journeys (sure there’s an ikea joke here somewhere?)…
When was the Oseberg ship originally thought to date from, and why?
850 - on typological grounds
When does Dendro dates place Gokstad?
900-905
When does Dendro dates place Tune?
905-910
When does Dendro dates place Oseberg?
834
Why are artefacts not to be trusted for typological dating?
They were not made when they were deposited, could be a lot older than you he deposit as they could be heirlooms etc
What was contained in the Gokstad ship?
The burial of an old man
How many bodies were found at Oseberg and what were there sex?
Two females
What age were the bodies from Oseberg and what assumption has been made from this?
One old and one young, assumed one was a princes and the other was her servant
What type of burials does the N isles seem to lack?
Cremations
Where is a Viking boat burial located in the N isles and what is associated with it?
Westness, Rousey, Orkney. An Irish brooch.
What animal was commonly buried with inhumations in Iceland?
Horses.
One example of a Viking boat burial in Iceland?
Citlu-Nupar, western Iceland.
What style of burial is most common in England?
Single burials
One example of a Viking cemetery in England?
Cumwhitton in Cumbria
What is assumed to be buried at Cumwhitten in Cumbria?
A single family group
What was found at Cumwhitten in Cumbria?
4 males and 2 females Swords Spears Horse riding gear Silver rings
What status is often attributed to the Cumwhitten burials?
An elite family
What issues surround Cumwhitten which inpede further investigation
Poor preservation and plough damage
What was found in Dorset?
51 decapitated bodies
What does C14 dates give the Dorset bodies?
910-1030
What ages were the Dorset bodies?
All late teens - 25
What does isotopic analyses say about the Dorset bodies?
They originated from colder climates than Britain
What does at least one individual have which may suggest a violent culture?
Filed teeth
