Difference between revisions of "France: L'Ile de Groix"

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|width="600pt"| '''Circular iron mounting'''
 
|width="600pt"| '''Circular iron mounting'''
 
Fragment of a circular iron mounting, 7.6cms. wide, possibly for the edge of a small bucket or a cup.
 
Fragment of a circular iron mounting, 7.6cms. wide, possibly for the edge of a small bucket or a cup.
 +
 +
|- valign="top" id="Padlock"
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|width="100pt"| [[File:L'lle de Groix Padlock.jpg|thumb|100x150px|left]]
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|width="600pt"| '''Padlock'''
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Remains of a padlock and lock plate. Inside was found some molten lead.[p.193]
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|- valign="top" id="Small Cramps"
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|width="100pt"| [[File:L'lle de Groix Small Cramp.jpg|thumb|100x150px|left]]
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|width="600pt"| '''10 Small Cramps'''
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Each with 3 rivets much like the bosses. 5 to 7mm thick and of unknown use.[p.193]
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|- valign="top" id="Iron Cramps"
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|width="100pt"| [[File:L'lle de Groix Iron Cramp.jpg|thumb|100x150px|left]]
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|width="600pt"| '''2 Iron Cramps'''
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The first is ornamented. [p.193]
  
 
|}
 
|}

Revision as of 19:31, 8 February 2013

France: L'Ile de Groix


Completion Rating
This article's completion rating is 2 out of 5. Article structure and content is subject to change as data is still being collected.
Completion Rating
This article's completion rating is 2 out of 5. Article structure and content is subject to change as data is still being collected.

The Viking ship burial found at L'lle de Groix in 1906 is well known for it's unique shield bosses. Although mentioned in many books I found it difficult to find our more about the other objests found along side the shield bosses. This article aims to resolve this.

In 1940 Shetelig's 'Viking Antiquities in Great Britain and Ireland, Volume IV' [BJORN and SHETELIG 1940] summarised the original french 1908 journal report. [CHATELLIER and PONTOIS 1908:p.137-232]. It is the authors intention to try and marry Bjorna and Shetelig's summaries with the images from the original 1908 French journal article. Where more information has been gained since the 1940's this has been added after the 1940's summary.


Wargear

L'lle de Groix Sword O.jpg
Sword Type O
L'lle de Groix Sword Reconstruction.jpg

The guard and the cross-piece of the pommel of a sword, of the five lobed type Jan Petersen O. Both pieces are of iron plated with silver and decorated with a peculiar scroll patterns, composed of ribbons filled with dots, resembling Jan Petersen fig.105. Scanty fragments only of the blade are extant.

L'lle de Groix Sword R.jpg
Sword Type R

Fragment of the guard of a sword of iron, with plain bronze inlay, and three-lobed pommel of the same sword, Jan Petersen type R.

L'lle de Groix Sword Scabbard Chape.jpg
Sword Scabbard Chape

The ferrule of a sword's scabbard, of bronze, with open-work ornament presenting the figure of a bird with wings spread.

L'lle de Groix Spear heads.jpg
3 Spear heads

Small fragments of three spear-heads, one of them of Jan Petersen type I. R522.

L'lle de Groix Axe heads.jpg
2 Axe heads

Fragments of two axes, both of them apparently of Jan Petersen type G.

L'lle de Groix Arrow heads.jpg
8 Arrow heads

Fragments of 8 arrow-heads of iron, R539.

L'lle de Groix Scandinavian Shield bosses.jpg
17 Scandinavian Shield bosses

Fragments of 17 shield-bosses all of them badly broken and defective. The majority are of the regular Norse type R562, hemispherical, with a flat rim fastened to the board by four rivets, and with a slight contraction between the boss and the rim.

L'lle de Groix Other Shield bosses.jpg
4 Other Shield bosses

Four of the bosses present forms never found in Scandinavia. The boss itself is plain and rounded, somewhat steeper than the hemisphere. In two of them the rim is provided with six pointed projections, each of them with three rivets, while two others have the rim provided with eight rounded projections, each of them likewise bearing three rivets. One fragment of a rim shows a densely set series of rivet-holes and the border finely indented and the border finely indented.

L'lle de Groix Knife.jpg
Knife

Fragment of the blade of an iron knife.

Tools

L'lle de Groix Anvil.jpg
Anvil

Small iron anvil, R393.

L'lle de Groix Hammer.jpg
Hammer head

Hammer head of iron.

L'lle de Groix Smith's tongs.jpg
Smith's tongs

Pair of smith's tongs, R391.

L'lle de Groix Auger.jpg
Auger

Iron auger, R418, and fragment of a larger rod, possibly another auger.

L'lle de Groix Draw plate.jpg
Draw plate

Implement for wire-drawing, R398, or perhaps more likely for making mails, viz. a flat piece of iron pierced by a series of holes of different size.

No Picture 2 Awls

Fragment of two iron awls.

L'lle de Groix Celt.jpg
Celt

Fragment of a socketed celt(?) of iron, R401.

Dress

L'lle de Groix Small Bronze Buckle.jpg
Small bronze buckle

Small buckle of bronze, resembling R605

L'lle de Groix Large Iron Buckle.jpg
5 large iron buckles

5 plain buckles of iron, 5cms, wide, probably belonging to a horse's harness.

L'lle de Groix Whetstone.jpg
Whetstone

Whetstone of schist, 11cms. long, of regular square section, with a hole for suspension at one end.

L'lle de Groix Gold Ring.jpg
Gold Ring

Gold finger-ring, made of a thick plain string, tapering towards the ends which are joined by a double knot.

No Picture Gold Leaves

A number of minute pressed gold leaves and fragments of fine gold filaments that most probably were applied for the decoration of a dress.

L'lle de Groix Garment Hook.jpg
2 Silver garment hooks

Two silver plaques, in the form of an oblong triangle, the square base bearing three small holes for rivets, and the point terminating in a small hook. Probably a kind of clasps for the dress. Length 6.4cms

Plaited chain of silver wire

Fragments of a plaited chain of silver wire, like the chain from Ballinaby, Islay, two beads of silver filigree and other small silver beads. A silver button. Remains of silver plating from some other object.

Penannular Brooch

Fragments of a penannular brooch of bronze.

Home

L'lle de Groix Playing Pieces.jpg
19 Playing pieces

A set of 19 draughtsmen of bone, R474.

L'lle de Groix Dice.jpg
2 Dice

2 dice, R475.

L'lle de Groix Bronze bowl (A).jpg
Bronze bowl (A)

Bronze bowl, with slightly convex bottom, the side outwards sloping, and projecting rim. Close to the bottom a crack has been repaired by a small bit of bronze fastened with a rivet. The bowl is 27cms. wide, 8—9cms. high. A similar bowl has been found in a grave at Glappestad, Norway (B.4844).

L'lle de Groix Bronze bowl (B).jpg
Bronze bowl (B)

Fragments of a bronze bowl of about the same size as the preceding specimen. When seen in-situ it seemed to be provided with ears which were, however, not to be found among the fragments after the transport.

L'lle de Groix Iron Cauldron.jpg
Iron cauldron

Cauldron of iron sheet, 40cms. high, 16cms. wide, with flat bottom and projecting rim.

L'lle de Groix Iron Chain.jpg
Iron chain

Fragments of an iron chain, composed of narrow links, each 5.5cms. long. Possibly for the suspension of the cauldron.

L'lle de Groix Circular iron mounting.jpg
Circular iron mounting

Fragment of a circular iron mounting, 7.6cms. wide, possibly for the edge of a small bucket or a cup.

L'lle de Groix Padlock.jpg
Padlock

Remains of a padlock and lock plate. Inside was found some molten lead.[p.193]

L'lle de Groix Small Cramp.jpg
10 Small Cramps

Each with 3 rivets much like the bosses. 5 to 7mm thick and of unknown use.[p.193]

L'lle de Groix Iron Cramp.jpg
2 Iron Cramps

The first is ornamented. [p.193]

Other

No Picture Iron and copper alloy fragments

A considerable number of indeterminable iron fragments and bits of bronze from destroyed objects, mountings on chests and caskets etc..

No Picture Over 800 clincher rivets

More than 800 clincher rivets, the original number certainly having exceeded a thousand, and some 200 nails, beside many fragments. The majority of both kinds have certainly come from a Viking ship cremated on the pyre. But part of the rivets are surprisingly small and suggest that one or more boats followed the ship, as was the case in the Gokstad burial.

No Picture Cremated bones

Cremated bones. According to the expert examination there are fragments of skull and vertebrae which indicate a person of mature age, while a fragment of a long bone seems to belong to an individual not yet adult. Beside the human remains, bones of dog and of some small birds were recognised.

References

<nocite> BJORN1940 duCHATELLIER1908 PRICE1989

</nocite> <biblio force=false>#Template:Bib</biblio>