A wooden chapel dedicated to St. Servatius in sixth-century Maastricht has gotten a bad press. Historical and archaeological comparisons may redeem this humble shrine and illuminate the darkest... Show moreA wooden chapel dedicated to St. Servatius in sixth-century Maastricht has gotten a bad press. Historical and archaeological comparisons may redeem this humble shrine and illuminate the darkest years of post-Roman towns. Show less
Roxburgh, M.A.; Ijssennagger, N.L.; Huisman, D.J.; Os, B.J.H. van 2018
We present a combined compositional and typological analysisfor a group of 90 Viking-Age mounts, found in Walcheren, The Netherlands. Thisnew analysis is supported by data gathered using Handheld X... Show moreWe present a combined compositional and typological analysisfor a group of 90 Viking-Age mounts, found in Walcheren, The Netherlands. Thisnew analysis is supported by data gathered using Handheld X-Ray FluorescenceSpectrometry (HHpXRF). The new data sheds light not only on the character of thetechnology available at the time, but also allows us to formulate a newhypothesis of their purpose and cultural associations within a Viking-Age,North Sea world. Similar mounts have been found in other coastal areas of thesouthern North Sea, but not in great numbers, suggesting that production wasmore likely to have been local. Their compositional and typologicalcharacteristics matched those of certain forms of Viking-age equestrian gear,but the relatively small size of these mounts allowed for the possibility thatthese items were more likely used on personal equipment. Although a questionover the exact dating remains, the styles suggest that close ties existedbetween the Frisian, Viking and Anglo-Scandinavian worlds between the 9 thand 11 th centuries. This expression of identity should beconsidered in a context of continued intensive relations between Frisian,Viking and Anglo-Saxon. Show less
