Photograph of grave IIIN199, shortly after excavation in 1928.
Credit: Institute of Archaeology of the CAS, Prague Castle Excavations
Posted on 08/22/2019 6:56:33 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Lead author Professor Nicholas Saunders, from Bristol's Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, said: "A number of studies have recently begun to re-interpret the remains and ours provides a new analysis.
"The goods found with the remains are a mix of foreign (non-Czech) items, such as the sword, axe and fire striker (a common piece of Viking equipment), and domestic objects, such as the bucket and the knives.
"The sword is especially unique as it is the only one discovered in 1,500 early medieval graves so far found in Prague Castle.
"Perhaps he was a Slav from a neighbouring region, who had mastered Old Norse as well as Slavonic, or perhaps he regarded himself as a genuine Viking.
"Identities were complex in the medieval period, and the story of Borkovski and the Prague Castle warrior grave reminds us that the identities of such past people frequently fuel modern political conflicts."
(Excerpt) Read more at eurekalert.org ...
Photograph of grave IIIN199, shortly after excavation in 1928.
Credit: Institute of Archaeology of the CAS, Prague Castle Excavations
Jerry Nadler gazing at the picture:
“I envy him his diet plan.”
A fine sword, that’s for sure.
What the hell does that even mean?
Read the rest of the original, it's not very long, I just excerpted the new findings instead of the Nazi vs Soviet vs Czech backstory.
O-k. I did. Got it.
Is that fullering along the midline of that sword? Seems a bit early for that technique...
TXnMA
Looks like fullering. Swords of that period needed it to reduce weight and improve balance since they had wide, long blades and a one-handed hilt.
Because of the sharper point it appears to be later Viking period, possibly around 1050 AD. Older swords had more rounded points since they were intended for cutting only.
Here is an replica of a similar sword:
http://globalreplicas.com/manufacturer/en/platnerze/miecz-wikingow-x-wiek-typologia-petersena-o-rekojesc-z-brazu-vsw43.html#
Max,
Thank you for the enlightenment! The early days of sword making are a big gap in my knowledge base...
Also, thanks for the link to that armorer site; lots of “eye candy” there! ‘-)
FRegards,
TXnMA
Besides the loot, do a DNA test on him.
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The Time Traveler’s Suitcase is a monthly podcast from DNA Consultants, the direct-to-the-consumer company that launched the industry’s first ancient DNA tests. Its Primeval DNA product line includes Medieval Vikings, Egyptian Mummies and the Ancient Israelite Test.
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Without DNA samples from the probably dozens of people who handled the bones since their discovery in the 1920s, that may not give reliable results. :^) Something from deep inside, tooth pulp, something like that, probably would work, if the area was cleaned before the extraction.
Thanks, both of you!
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