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ELK ANTLER MAGNIEICATION C. 270 X
STOCKHOLM STUDIES IN ARCHABOLOGY
2
VIKING AGE
COMBS, COMB MAKING AND
COMB MAKERS
in the light of finds from
Birka and Ribe
Akademisk avhandling
som för avläggande av filosofie doktorsexamen
vid Stockholms universitet
offentligen försvaras i hörsal 11, hus F i Frescati
fredagen den 27 mars 1981 kl. 10.(X)
av
Kristina Ambrosiani
fil. kand.
Department of Archaeology, North-European,
University of Stockholm
S-106 91 Stockholm
Stockholm 1981
ISBN 91-7146-150-7
Abstract
This thesis discusses the types of comb used in the Viking age, their production and the
factors affecting the craft of comb making around the south Baltic and the North Sea. It
is based on an analysis of the 325 combs found in the graves of Birka and of the comb
making debris found in the recent excavations at Ribe. Published evidence from many
other sites is also used. The combs used throughout this area were remarkably similar,
and changes in their form and decoration apparently occurred simultaneously in widely
separated places. It is argued that this was the result of the activity of itinerant comb
makers rather than of traders or locally based craftsmen. Most of the combs were of
high quality and must have been made by specialists. Comb making debris is found in
most Viking period market places showing that they were made throughout the area.
An attempt is made to determine whether combs were made of elk or red deer antler, a
matter of particular interest because elk was the natural raw material in, for example,
Birka and Staraja Ladoga, while in south Scandinavia it was red deer. By calculating
the number of combs made annually in different places, and the time needed to make
them, it is shown that the debris in any one place cannot represent a full year's work,
and it is argued that the craftsmen travelled from place to place making, and selling,
combs at the different markets. The evidence further suggests that there was some
measure of regularity and organisation in the holding of markets throughout this area
in the Viking period.
STOCKHOLM STUDIES IN ARCHAEOLOGY
2
VIKING AGE
COMBS, COM[B MAKING AND
COMB MAKERS
in the light of finds from
Birka and Ribe
Iby
Kristina ^ mbrosiani
© Kristina Ambrosiani
ISBN 91-7146-150-7
Göteborgs Offsettryckeri,
Stockholm 1981
To my daughters
Lovisa and Jenny
Contents
PREFACE 7
VIKING AGE COMBS, COMB MAKING AND COMB
MAKERS 9
Introduction 10
On the use of combs 12
Viking period comb types and their areas of distribution 15
The chronology and dating of Viking period combs 23
Areas of origin and places of manufacture 32
Conditions for the comb maker's work 40
Summary 55
DIE KÄMME AUS BIRKA - Untersuchungen zum wikingerzeit-
Hchen Kamm-Material aus den Gräbern
THE COMBS FROM BIRKA - Studies of the Viking period comb
material from the graves 57
Einleitung - Introduction 58
Gruppeneinteilung - Classification 58
Kammfutterale - Comb cases 66
"Pferdekämme" 68
Kämme mit bronzenen Griffleisten -C ombs with bronze connecting
plates 68
Indexwerte der Griffleisten - Relations between the breadth and
thickness of connecting plates 70
Niete - Rivets 72
Verteilung der Gruppen auf Brand- und Körpergräber - Distribution
of comb types in cremation and inhumation graves 72
Verteilung der Gruppen auf Männer- und Frauengräber - Distribu
tion of comb types in male and female graves 73
Datierung der Kammgruppen - Dating of the comb types 74
Zusammenstellung über die Verteilung der Kammgruppen auf die
verschiedenen Gräberfelder - Distribution of comb types in the
different grave fields 83
Zusammenfassung 88
Summary 89
ANTLER, HORN AND BONE FROM EARLY RIBE - evidence
for comb making in a market place 91
Introduction 94
Terminology 94
The raw materials 98
Antler p. 98, Horn p. 99, Bone p. 102, Identification of antler and
bone p. 102
Practical attempts to make combs 103
Evidence for the production process in the debris and unfinished
parts 119
Bone and antler objects 128
Combs p. 128, Gaming pieces p. 132, Tools p. 134, Needles
p. 135,
Bored sheep or goat bones p. 136, Bone skates p. 138
Worked antler tines p. 139
The Distribution of material in different areas and phases 141
Other indications of comb making in Ribe 150
Dating 152
The scale of comb production 155
Comb making - a specialist craft? 157
The development of the craft 158
Summary 163
LIST OF LITTERATURE 165
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 171
INDEX OF PLACE NAMES 172
APPENDIX: Djurben med bearbetningsspår från Ribe, Jylland,
Danmark av Torstein Sjøvold, Osteologiska forskningslaboratori
et, Stockholms universitet 173
Preface
This work consists of three separate parts, brought together under the title of
the first : Viking age combs, comb making and comb makers in the Hght of finds
from Birka and Ribe. The second part is devoted to the Birka combs and the
third to the material from Ribe.
The discussion of the combs found in the grave fields of Birka has been
undertaken as part of the Birka project's study of the material excavated by
Hjalmar Stolpe and first published by Holger Arbman in 1940 and 1943. This
part is in German because that is the language that has been adopted for the
Birka publication. It was translated by fil. kand. Sigrid Fritzlen, who has also
helped with the proof reading of the German text. Fil. kand. Per-Olof Bohlin
has drawn figures 23-36 and 41. These illustrations, and the translations, have
been financed by the Birka Project and 1 should like to express my gratitude to
the committee of that project for allowing me to use this contribution in the
form of a pre-print in anticipation of its publication by them.
Part ill, Antler, Horn and Bone from Early Ribe, is a study of the combs
and comb making debris found in the excavations undertaken in the 197()'s by
the Antikvarisk Samling of Ribe. In this connection particular thanks are due
to the leader of those excavations, Mogens Bencard, now Överinspektör at
Rosenborg Slot, for having given me the opportunity to study the Ribe
material, for the interest he has always shown in this work and for inviting me
to take part in stimulating discussions with other participants in the Ribe
Project. This part is a pre-print of my contribution to the series on the Ribe
excavations and I am particularly grateful to the project leader for making it
possible for me to use it in this way. The drawings have been prepared by Miss
Moira Mackenzie and, together with the translation, have been financed by
the Ribe Project. Except where otherwise indicated, the photographs are by
the author. In part I figures 3-9, 11-15 and 17-19 were drawn by fil. kand.
Roger Blidmo and figure 10 by architekt Jan Polacek. I should like to thank all
four draughtsmen for the skilful way they have helped me realise my
ideas.
In doing this work I have been supported by many people. In the first place I
wish to thank my supervisor Professor Mats P. Maimer who has encouraged
me to renewed efforts. Gratitude is also due to many friends and colleagues,
especially Björn Ambrosiani, Greta Arwidsson, Anneke Clason, Olga
Davidan, Kjell Engström, Willem van Es, Nils Gustaf Gejvall, Tove Hatting,
Åke Hyenstrand, Elisabeth Iregren, Ingmar Jansson, Gunborg O. Janzon,
Ola Kyhiberg, Arthur MacGregor, Hans Jørgen Madsen, Ulf Näsman, Margit
Pettersson, Kurt Schietzel, Clas Henrik Siven, Wolf-Dieter Tempel, Ingrid
Ulbricht and Marit Åhlén. In this connection I will also with gratitude mention
Sten Svensson, my father - the comb maker (cf pp. 103 ff.).
I should also like to thank Professor i^eter H. Sawyer who not only
translated my text into English but also discussed the contents with me and
with English colleagues, to the benefit of the final version.
1 have profited from discussions with Professors Alf Johnels and Torstein
Sjøvold about the problems of distinguishing elk and red deer antler, and I was
fortunate to have help of Intendent Åke Andersson of Naturhistoriska
riksmuseet in Stockholm with the photography.
My first attempts to identify antler were made at the Research Institute of
Physics at Stockholm, and 1 should like to thank Docent Carl Johan
Herrlander and fil. kand. Peter Carié for their efforts.
The work would have taken much longer without the help given by the staff
of Vitterhetsakademien s Library, to all of whom 1 should like to express my
warmest thanks. I am indebted to Fil. kand. Maria Wolodarska making the
Russian and Polish literature accessible to me through her translations.
I also thank Svea Orden for awarding a scholarship that made it possible for
me to have leave in the Spring of 1980 in order to write part 111, and my
employers at The Swedish National Council for Cultural Affairs (Statens
kulturråd) for generously granting me that leave.
Of the many people who have helped me with the technicalities of producing
this thesis I wish particularly to thank Mr Elon Landh and from GOTAB
Helmuth Jäger and Bengt Ståhl.
It is manifestly difficult to combine normal employment and family life with
the writing of a thesis, and 1 fear that it has often been the thesis that has
suffered. In the last year, however, it has had to take first place and the final
hectic weeks of proof reading were made possible by Björn Ambrosiani's
unfailing help.
I wish, finally, to thank my family and my friends for the understanding
support which, in varying degrees, they have been obliged to give.
This book is dedicated to my daughters, Lovisa and Jenny, who perhaps
more than any have suffered from my preoccupation with Viking age combs,
comb making and comb makers.
Täby januari 1981
K ristina Λ mbrosiani
