Sword Scabbard Chapes
Sword Scabbard Chapes |
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Introduction
This article is about metal fittings that were probably attached to Sword Scabbards. Peter Paulsen comprehensibly covered the subject of Viking sword scabbard chapes in 1953 in his book Schwertortbänder der Wikingerzeit [PAULSEN 1953]. More recently Androshchuk has published an updated typology and catalogue of finds [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]
This article is primarily concerned with Scandinavian and Western European Chape styles. Paulsen discuss a number of Eastern European styles that we have not included here.
English Styles
- Archaeology
- England
- Ashwell, Hertfordshire C9th. Tree of life design. (Letchworth Museum 1978.77) North Hertfordshire Museumdayofarchaeology.com
- Castor, Peterborough [CAMERON 2000]:p.194 fig.258
- Lincolnshire. Anglo-Scandinavian [HAMMOND 2010]:p.80 fig.1.8.4-d
Borre Style 1
Paulsen's Type II.3
'Chapes with Germanic quadruped motif - Animal Style of the Baltic Region'
Paulsen lists a total of 10 finds of this group [PAULSEN 1953]:pp.48-53
In his opinion they are very similar to Oval brooch of type P48A. [PAULSEN 1953]:p.48
Andrshchuk Type 2
'Beast in Borre style with a mask in the middle'
Androshchuk lists 20 finds of this type and dates them to c.970s-980s [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:pp.15-118
Odin as shape-shifting sorcerer and shaman. Protection. [HEDENSTIERNA-JONSON 2006B]:p.321
A small group of sword chapes combining Borre style decoration with a possible Christian motif - the Crucifixion. Possibly originated in Denmark. [HEDENSTIERNA-JONSON 2006B]:p.315
Borre Style 1a
- Archaeology
- Denmark
- Paulsen lists 1 find [PAULSEN 1953]:no.1; p.49; Androshchuk lists 1 find [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:no.1; p.268
- Norway
- Paulsen lists 0 finds [PAULSEN 1953]:p.49; Androshchuk lists 1 find [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:no.9; p.268
- Iceland
- Paulsen lists 1 find [PAULSEN 1953]:no.3; p.49; Androshchuk lists 1 find [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:no.5; p.268
- Lundur [PAULSEN 1953]:no.3, p.49 [ROESDAHL & WILSON 1992]:cat.330
- Germany
- Paulsen lists 1 find [PAULSEN 1953]:no.1; p.49; Androshchuk lists 2 finds [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:no.2,3; p.268
- Bautzen [ROESDAHL & WILSON 1992]:cat.263
- Hedeby [?]
- Sweden
- Paulsen lists 3 finds [PAULSEN 1953]:no.5,6,7; p.49; Androshchuk lists 6 finds [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:no.12,13,14,15,16,17; pp.268-269
- Gotland. found in 1889 [:AN1909.95]
- Finland
- Paulsen lists 1 find [PAULSEN 1953]:no.8; p.49; Androshchuk lists 1 find [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:no.4; p.268
- Latvia
- Paulsen lists 0 finds [PAULSEN 1953]:p.49; Androshchuk lists 2 finds [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:no.7,8; p.268
- Ukraine
- Paulsen lists 1 find [PAULSEN 1953]:no.10; p.49; Androshchuk lists 3 finds [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:no.18,19,20; p.269
- Ukraine. 2 finds. [ROESDAHL & WILSON 1992]:cat.310 [WOV 2003]:cat.4333
- Russia
- Paulsen lists 1 find [PAULSEN 1953]:no.9; p.49; Androshchuk lists 2 finds [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:no.10,11; p.268
Borre Style 1b
- Archaeology
- England
- Hull [MILLS 2001]:p101 fig.V281 [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:p.126
- Iceland
- Paulsen lists 1 find [PAULSEN 1953]:no.4; p.49; Androshchuk lists 1 find [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:no.6; p.268
- Ljárskógum [PAULSEN 1953]:pp.49-50, No.4, fig.55 [HAYEUR SMITH 2003]:p.354 no.5072 [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:p.126
Androshchuk considers the Hull find to be a local product as in his words "The style of its decoration does not belong to the Scandinavian tradition..." [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:p.126
Borre Style 2
Andrshchuk Type 3c
'Bird/Beast in Borre/Jelling/Mammen style'
Androshchuk dates this type to the 10th century [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:pp.15-118
Borre Style 2a
Paulsen's Type I.1
'Chapes with Germanic Bird Motif - Scandinavian Group'
Paulsen lists a total of 12 finds of this group [PAULSEN 1953]:pp.17-21
- Archaeology
- Denmark
- Paulsen lists 1 find [PAULSEN 1953]:no.1; p.18; Androshchuk lists 2 finds [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:no.1,2; p.272
- Hareskovby, Sjaelland. Bronze. [PAULSEN 1953]:no.1; p.18 [WOV 2003]:p.1118
- Norway
- Paulsen lists 2 finds [PAULSEN 1953]:no.2,3; p.18; Androshchuk lists 2 finds [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:no.5,6; p.272
- Rörvik. R516. www.unimus.no T1503 [RYGH 1885]:R516 [GREIG 1947]:no.5; p.32 [PAULSEN 1953]:no.3; p.18
- Kvalnes T2094 [GREIG 1947]:no.4; p.32 [PAULSEN 1953]:no.4; p.18
- Iceland
- Paulsen lists 1 find [PAULSEN 1953]:no.4; p.18; Androshchuk lists 1 find [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:no.4; p.272
- Hafurbjarnarstodum, Iceland. [GREIG 1947]:pl.XXVI.1 [PAULSEN 1953]:no.4; p.18 [HAYEUR SMITH 2003]:p.168 [WOV 2003]:cat.7091
- Sweden
- Valleberga, Skane. Bronze. [WOV 2003]:p.1170
Borre Style 2b
- Wolin Chape.jpg
Poland, Wolin
Paulsen's Type I.1 - Variant
'Chapes with Germanic Bird Motif - Prussian Group'
Paulsen lists a total of 5 finds of this group [PAULSEN 1953]:pp.17-21
- Archaeology
- Poland
- Wolin [JANOWSKI 2006]:p.181
A variation on this type only seemingly found in Poland is Janowski's type Ib2. Dated to 900-1025AD. [JANOWSKI 2006]:p.181 [JANOWSKI 2007]:p.157-159.
Jelling Style 1
Paulsen's Type II.1
'Chapes with Germanic quadruped motif - Scandinavian group of the 10th century'
Paulsen breaks the total of 19 finds of this group into 2 sub groups: [PAULSEN 1953]:pp.35-44
Andrshchuk Type 6
'Beast in Jelling style'
Androshchuk dates this type to c.950-1000 and splits it into 3 sub groups [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:pp.15-121
More usually found around the Baltic area. [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 1980]:cat.273.. 19 examples found in 6 different countries (Denmark, Germany, Iceland, England, Sweden & Russia) [ROESDAHL & WILSON 1992].
- Archaeology
- England
- York [ROESDAHL & WILSON 1992]:cat.274
- Chatburn [EDWARDS 1998]:p.28
- Norway
- Gjermundbu. Found with a Petersen type S sword [ROESDAHL & WILSON 1992] [WOV 2003]:cat.3044
- Iceland
- Hafurbjarnastadir. Gilded copper-alloy found with Petersen type S sword. 900AD – 975AD [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 1980]:cat.273
- Kirkjubolsdal [HAYEUR SMITH 2003]:p.167
- Vestfirdir [HAYEUR SMITH 2003]:p.146
- Finland
- Saari. Copper-alloy [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 1980]:cat.275
- Satakunta. [ROESDAHL & WILSON 1992]:217
The similarity of the decoration with that of Oval Brooch type P57 has been noted by Paulsen [PAULSEN 1953], Wilson and Klindt-Jensen [WILSON 1966: 100-1] and Graham-Campbell [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 1980]:cat.273.
Jelling Style 2
Paulsen's Type II.2 'Chapes with Germanic quadruped motif - Swedish group of the 10th century'
Paulsen lists a total of 9 finds of this group. [PAULSEN 1953]:pp.35-44
Andrshchuk Type 5
'Beast in Jelling style'
Androshchuk dates this type to c.950-1000 [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:pp.15-121
Bird (Falcon) Style
Otherwise known as the 'Birka Bird'. Dated from late C9th to early C11th although at its most popular in the first half of the C10th. Hedenstierna Jonson identifies 67 finds spread mainly in Eastern Europe from Sweden to Byzantium [HEDENSTIERNA-JONSON 2006B]:p.
Bird (Falcon) Style 1
Paulsen's Type I.2a & I.2b
'Chapes with Germanic Bird Motif - Swedish-Varangian Group'
Paulsen groups these into sub groups with a total of 9 finds [PAULSEN 1953]:pp.22-34
Andrshchuk Type 3a
'bird'
Androshchuk dates this type to the 10th century. [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:pp.15-121
- Archaeology
- France
- Sweden
- Birka.
- Poland
- Wolin [WOV 2003]:cat.986
- Ukraine
- Kiev [WOV 2003]:cat.4269
Bird (Falcon) Style 2
Paulsen's Type I.2c & I.2d
'Chapes with Germanic Bird Motif - Swedish-Varangian Group'
Paulsen breaks this group into 2 sub groups with a total of 23 finds [PAULSEN 1953]:pp.22-34
Andrshchuk Type 3b
'bird'
Androshchuk dates this type to the 10th century. [ANDROSHCHUK 2014]:pp.15-121
- Archaeology
- Sweden
- Astad. Eastern Influence 850AD – 950AD [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 1980]:cat.442
- Birka.
- Poland
- Wolin [WOV 2003]:cat.986
- Ukraine
- Kiev [WOV 2003]:cat.4269
The travellingnorth.nl blog has a good article about this kind of chape.
Style?
See Also
References
- Pages with broken file links
- Weapons
- 1 Star
- Androshchuk 2014
- Bjorn & Shetelig 1940
- Cameron 2000
- Chatellier & Pontois 1908
- Edwards 1998
- Graham-Campbell 1980
- Greig 1947
- Hammond 2010
- Hayeur Smith 2003
- Hedenstierna-Jonson 2006B
- Janowski 2006
- Janowski 2007
- Mills 2001
- Paulsen 1953
- Roesdahl & Wilson 1992
- Rygh 1885
- Wilson 1965
- WOV 2003