Found with a gold vessel in a mound, Zeeland.
Fig. 60.—Bottom of the vase.
Fig. 61.—Gold vessel, about ½ real size, found under a slab, Halland. Weight, 2 oz. 5 dr.
Fig. 62.—Design forming the bottom part of the vase. ¼ real size.
Fig. 63.—Bracelet of solid gold,¾ real size; weight, 6 oz.—Scania.
Fig. 64.—Diadem of gold,⅔ real size, Balsby, Scania; deposited, together with four massive bronze axes, upon a slab below the surface of the ground.
Fig. 65.—Hollow bracelet of gold, real size, found with four spiral gold bracelets near a large stone.—Skärje, Bohuslan.
Fig. 66.—Spiral ring of double thread of gold.—Scania.
Fig. 67.—Pincers of gold. Real size.—Halland.
Fig. 68.—Bronze pincers. ¾ real size.—Fyen.
Fig. 69.—Bronze pincers. Real size.—Scania.
Fig. 70.—Bronze vessel, with representation of sun ship, with prow and stern alike, as in northern ships. ⅓ real size.—Bog near Aalborg, Denmark.
Vessels of bronze are uncommon in the graves; some by their form seem to be of Greek origin, while others appear to be of Northern make. Some beautifully cast, and of peculiar shape, seem to have been made to be suspended. Some are ornamented with the svastica115 and other symbolic signs, and may have been used to carry offerings to the gods.
Fig. 71.—Bronze vase, in which were found eleven gold vessels with handles like illustration. Representation of sun ship, ⅓ real size.—Bog find, Rönninge, Fyen, Denmark.
Fig. 72.—A vase of bronze found in a grave-cist in a mound, Fyen. The cist was three feet wide, built of stone slabs, with one on the top. ⅓ real size.
Fig. 73.—Bronze vase, with burnt bones, a gold arm-ring, four double buttons (two of gold and two of bronze), two bronze knives, &c., Denmark.
Fig. 74.—Bronze vase. ½ real size.—Broby, Denmark.
Fig. 75.—Bronze pail. ¼ real size.—Ögemose, Denmark.
Fig. 76.—Hanging vase of bronze. ½ real size.—Bog, Senāte, Vestergötland.
Fig. 77.—¼ real size. Svastica.
Fig. 78.—⅓ real size. Scania.
Fig. 79.—¼ real size.
Patterns of the bottom of different vases.
The bogs116 of Denmark contain large horns or trumpets, made entirely of bronze, with pendant chains (see p. 104). Nothing exactly corresponding to them has yet been discovered in other countries. They have been cast in several pieces, and with surprising skill, and are carefully fastened together by rivets which interlace each other. Sometimes they have been buried in the bogs in a broken state, but generally have been so well preserved that they can still be blown. They produce a dull and not very loud sound. On one occasion they have been found with a shield of bronze and a few bronze swords, hence their use in battle may be inferred. But generally several of them are found together, rarely less than two, and sometimes as many as six on the same spot.
Fig. 80.—Battle horn of bronze,⅛ real size.—Bog, Fredriksborg Amt, Denmark.
Fig. 81.—Ornament to battle-horn. ½ real size.
Fig. 82.—Horn of bronze, ⅐ real size.—Bog, Scania, at a depth of over 6 feet.
Fig. 83.—Battle horn of bronze, with chain ornamented with birds; ⅛ real size, or 30 inches long.—Bog, Ribe Amt, Denmark.
Fig. 84.—Bronze boats covered with gold.—Nors parish, North Jutland.
A perfectly unique find belonging to the bronze age is that discovered at Nors parish, Northern Jutland, in 1885. In an urn, greatly damaged, were about 100 small boats of bronze canoe-shaped, about four to five inches in length, placed one into another, all covered inside and outside with a thin sheet of gold; some have been found to be ornamented with concentric rings on the side. What was the meaning of the offering or find will always remain a mystery.
The curiously-shaped knives, which are found in very great numbers, seem to be peculiar to the North, and the North of Germany. What they were used for is hard to tell, possibly as sacrificial knives. It can hardly be doubted that the signs upon them are symbolical; some may be representations of the sun-ship, others are somewhat like minute representations of the rock-tracings, or designs upon Greek coins, while the heads of horses remind us of the gold vases represented in this chapter.
Fig. 85.—Bronze knife, with sun ship and fish. Real size. In a mound at Skjellerup, near Aarhus, North Jutland.
Fig. 86.—Bronze knife, without handle, with a serpent. Real size. In a mound, Jutland, with three stone coffins.
Fig.