VI.—Sword Rings and Beads

Vera I. Evison

doi:10.1017/S0261340900013977

VI.—Sword Rings and Beads

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 April 2011

Vera I. Evison

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Alist of ring-swords and beads known to date was published in 1967, and a few more items and observations may now be added. Another jewelled example has just come to my notice in the museum at Laon (Aisne), France (pl. lxiva–c). The basic metal is presumably bronze as it is covered in places with green corrosion products. It is a form which began early, i.e. a triangular middle section with animal head terminals at each end, as in a Snartemo grave. The pommel is hollow and was fastened to the rest of the grip not by lateral rivets, but by the tang of the sword which projects slightly through a hole in the top. Its measurements are 5.1×1.5 cm. and the middle triangular faces are inlaid with garnets in curved cloisons at each corner, and framed in a zigzag border presumably inlaid with silver or niello. From the arced segments each side of this a tongue-shape, also decorated with zigzags, runs up each incurved side towards the apex. At one end is a splayed curved terminal, no longer an animal head but bearing ribbon animal ornament in relief. The corresponding opposite end is not decorated, but on top is a small hollow, and a piece at the extremity is broken off and missing. This end section is a pad for the reception of a missing ring-knob, with the end of the vertical bow fitting into the hollow.

Type: Research Article
Information: Archaeologia , Volume 105 , 1976 , pp. 303 - 315

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261340900013977 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 1976

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^{page 303 note 1} Evison, V.I., ‘The Dover ring-sword and other sword- rings and beads’, Archaeologia, ci (1967), 63–118CrossRef Google Scholar.

^{page 303 note 2} Behmer, E., Das zweischneidige Schwert der germani- schen Völkerwanderungszeit (1939), Taf. XXX, 1Google Scholar.

^{page 303 note 3} Evison, op. cit. (1967), pi. XII B.

^{page 303 note 4} Ibid. fig. 14c.

^{page 303 note 5} Ibid. pi. xi a.

^{page 303 note 6} Ibid. fig. ioa.

^{page 304 note 1} P. Périn, ‘Trois tombes de “chefs” du début de la période mérovingienne: les sépultures Nos. 66, 68 et 74 de la nécropole de Mézières (Ardennes)’, Bull. Soc. Arch. Champenoise, 65e année, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1972), 3–70, figs. 23–4.

^{page 304 note 2} Evison, op. cit. (1967), fig. 14a and pl. xiii a.

^{page 304 note 3} Ibid. fig 6d.

^{page 304 note 4} Ibid. fig. 131;Bruce-Mitford, R., The Sutton Hoo-ShipBurial(1972), 32–3, fig. 10; cf.Behmer, op.cit.(1939), Taf. xli, 6, 7, Taf. xliii, 2, Taf. xliv, 2 and 4Google Scholar.

^{page 304 note 5} Holmqvist, Ed. W., Excavations at Helgö i (1961), Site R 16, -67, p. 122, fig. 23, 12, pl. 38, 5Google Scholar.

^{page 305 note 1} Paulsen, P., Alamannische Adelsgraäer von Niederstot-zingen (Kr. Heidenheim) (1967), 88 ff., Taf. 50, 2, Taf. 52.Google Scholar

^{page 305 note 2} Winkelmann, W., ‘Das Fürstengrab von Beckum’, Die Glocke, 1962Google Scholar.

^{page 305 note 3} Lindenschmit, L., Die vaterländischen Alterthümer des F¨rstlich Hohenzoller'schen Sammlungen zu Sig-maringen (1860), 199, Taf. 1Google Scholar.

^{page 306 note 1} Cf. Evison, op. cit., figs. 7, 8, 9c, d, 10a, and 14b.

^{page 306 note 2} Excavations Annual Report 1967 (MPBW, 1968), p. 21.

^{page 306 note 3} Davidson, H. R. E. and L. Webster, ‘The Anglo-Saxon Burial at Coombe (Woodnesborough), Kent’, Med. Arch, xi (1967), 1–41Google Scholar.

^{page 307 note 1} note One cannot therefore deny the presence of this kind of seventh-century buckle (cf. Davidson and Webster, pl. I, 4, and buckle, pl. iii, and N. A˚berg, The Anglo-Saxons in England (1926), figs. 212, 214–22) as emphatic- ally as done by Davidson and Webster (1967), p. 36. The record of this rivet is not considered in their article.

^{page 307 note 2} note Davidson and Webster, op. cit. (1967), 10.

^{page 307 note 3} note B.R.O.B., 20–21 (1970–1), 194–5, Abb. 56.

^{page 308 note 1} E. Behmer, op. cit. (1939), Taf. XLV, ia and b.

^{page 308 note 2} Ibid. Taf. II, 3.

^{page 308 note 3} Evison, op. cit. (1967), pl. xiii b.

^{page 308 note 4} Ibid pl. xii.

^{page 309 note 1} Haseloff, G., ‘Fragments of a hanging bowl from Bekesbourne, Kent and some ornamental problems’, Med. Arch. ii (1958), 72–103Google Scholar.

^{page 309 note 2} Ibid. pl. ix c.

^{page 309 note 3} Ibid. pl. viii d, e and f.

^{page 309 note 4} Bruce-Mitford, op. cit. (1972), pl. E.

^{page 309 note 5} Arch. xxxviii (1860), 85.

^{page 309 note 6} Evison, op. cit. (1967), fig. 11c.

^{page 309 note 7} J. R. Kirk and E. T. Leeds, ‘Three early Saxon graves from Dorchester, Oxon.’, Oxon. xvii/xviii (1952/3), 63–76, fig. 27.

^{page 310 note 1} Arch. Cant. vii (1866), 171Google Scholar.

^{page 311 note 1} Evison, op. cit. (1967), 84. Mr. D. Thomson informs me that this grave, quoted as 51 in Arch. ci, is to be known by the number 1.

^{page 311 note 2} Evison, V. I., ‘The white material in Kentish disc brooches’, Antiq. Journ. xxxi (1951), 197–200CrossRef Google Scholar.

^{page 311 note 3} Bushe-Fox, J. P., Fourth Report on the Excavations at Richborough, Kent (1949), 107, pl. 1, 1Google Scholar.

^{page 311 note 4} Evison, op. cit. (1967), fig. 15g.

^{page 311 note 5} Coventry Museum A/1013/68.

^{page 312 note 1} Med. Arch. xv (1971), 135Google Scholar.

^{page 312 note 2} Paulsen, op. cit. (1967), 93, fig. 51, i, Taf. 51, 52. Since the above was written, it has been suggested that this particular button might have acted as a fastening on a strap passing across the scabbard at this point as the existence of such a strap is indicated by the interruption of ornament in the middle of the metal U-section mounts on the scabbard edges. The evidence is inconclusive either way.Menghin, W., ‘Aufhängevorrichtung und Trageweise zweischneidiger Langschwerter aus germani- schen Gräbern des 5. bis 7. Jahrhunderts’, Anzeiger des Germanischen Nationalmuseums (1973), 21Google Scholar.

^{page 312 note 3} Evison, op. cit. (1951).

^{page 312 note 4} Arch. Cant, xvii (1887), 6 with plate; N. A˚berg, op. at. (1926), fig. 270Google Scholar.

^{page 312 note 5} The suggestion that this gold button might have functioned as a scabbard boss (Bruce-Mitford, R. L. S., Aspects of Anglo-Saxon Archaeology (1974), 70, note 267) is not acceptable, for it does not take into account the original record that, when found, it was bedded in a white beadGoogle Scholar.

^{page 312 note 6} Böhner, K., Das Grab eines fränkischen Herren aus Morken im Rheinland, Führer des Rheinischen Landes-museums in Bonn, Nr. 4 (1959)Google Scholar, 45, note 10, Abb. 5; Doppelfeld, O. and R. Pirling, Fränkische Fürsten im Rheinland (1966), 112. grave 1782Google Scholar.

^{page 313 note 1} Dartford Museum, Lincoln Museum, Hull Museum.

^{page 313 note 2} Ass. Archit. Soc. Reports & Papers, vii (1864), 292, Jan. 25, pl. 11, 2 and 3Google Scholar.

^{page 313 note 3} Leeds, E. T. ‘Two Saxon cemeteries in N. Oxford shire’, Oxon. v (1940), fig. 6Google Scholar.

^{page 313 note 4} B. Faussett, Inventorium Sepulchrale, 55, and 124–5 with figs.

^{page 313 note 5} Strömberg, M., Untersuchungen zur jüngeren Eisenzeit in Schonen, ii (1961), Taf. 33, ia–e; B. Stjernqvist, ‘A Scanian grave find from the Vendel time’, A˚rsberattelse (Lund, 1947–8), 138Google Scholar.

^{page 313 note 6} Evison, op. cit. (1951), 199, note 1.

^{page 314 note 1} V.C.H. Leics. i (1907), 240Google Scholar with fig; Arch. Journ. xix (1862), 279Google Scholar.

^{page 314 note 2} V.C.H. Kent, i, pl. I, 9; Reg. no. 2161.

^{page 314 note 3} Harden, Ed. D. B., Dark Age Britain (1956), p. 82Google Scholar, note 45; Med. Arch, ii (1958), 93, note 119Google Scholar.

^{page 314 note 4} Since this article was submitted in 1973, work in the Research Laboratory of the British Museum has established the presence of bubbles in the red material, so identifying it as glass.

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