Looting or missioning : insular and continental sacred objects in Viking age contexts in Norway

Author(s)

    • Mikkelsen, Egil

Bibliographic Information

Looting or missioning : insular and continental sacred objects in Viking age contexts in Norway

Egil Mikkelsen

Oxbow Books, 2019

  • : hardcover edition

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Note

Bibliography: p. [179]-192

Description and Table of Contents

Description

Until now insular and continental material, mostly metal-work, found in pagan Viking Age graves in Norway, has been interpreted as looted material from churches and monasteries on the British Isles and the Continent. The raiding Vikings brought these objects back to their homeland where they were often broken up and used as jewellery or got alternative functions. Looting or Missioning looks at the use and functions of these sacred objects in their original Christian contexts. Based on such an analysis the author proposes an alternative interpretation of these objects: they were brought by Christian missionaries from different parts of the British Isles and the Continent to Norway. The objects were either personal (crosses, croziers, portable reliquaries etc.), objects used for baptism (hanging bowls), equipment to officiate a mass (mountings from books or reading equipment, altars or crosses) or to give the communion (pitchers, glass vessels, chalices, paten). We know from contemporary sources (Ansgar in Birka, Sweden in the ninth century) that missionaries brought this sort of equipment on their mission journeys. We also hear that missionaries were robbed, killed or chased off. Mikkelson interprets the sacred objects found in Viking Age pagan graves as objects that originate from the many unsuccessful mission attempts in Norway throughout the Viking Age. They changed function and were integrated in the pagan tradition. The conversion and Christianisation of Norway can thus be seen as a long-lasting process, at least from about 800 (but probably earlier) to the beginning of the eleventh century. As we must assume that the written sources on the subject are incomplete, the archaeological evidences are the main source. In addition to metal work and written sources, the dating and interpretation of stone crosses, rune stones, manuscript fragments and early Christian graves and churches are discussed. The main part of the manuscript regards the context of all these sources, studied in each part of Norway separately: Where do we find concentrations of objects that could support the interpretation of these being the result of mission attempts, and where can we combine archaeological and written sources to tentatively create more complete stories related to mission? One analysis is of special interest to British and Norwegian scholars and even a broader audience. It refers to the chieftain Ohthere from Northern Norway, who visited King Alfred the Great in Winchester in 890. The author finds a link between Alfreds court and Ohtheres farm which, it is argued, for was Borg at Vestvagoy, Lofoten, where the biggest Viking Age house in Northern Europe has been excavated. In the hall of this house were found a rare glass beaker with gold cross decorations, a Continental or British made pitcher, pieces of a bronze bowl and an aestel of gold. This last piece is only found in Northern Norway and in England, with Wessex and Mercia as the core areas. "The Alfred Jewel" (Ashmolean Museum) is also an aestel of the same main type, but much more splendid and with an inscription relating it to King Alfred. Mikkelson argues for a bishop being sent from Wessex and Alfreds court on Ohtheres ship back to Northern Norway as a missionary.

Table of Contents

List of figures List of tables Part 1: Sources and models for missionary activity 1. Introduction The spread of Christianity in north-west Europe The change of religion in Norway - a long process, not a short event Written sources - archaeological sources Written sources to the missionary activity in Scandinavia during the Viking Age 2. Models for the missionary activity What is a mission? Model 1: Individual monks and priests as missionaries coming from The British Isles Model 2: Organized mission from the Frankish Empire and Germany - 'the Ansgar model' Model 3: Mission with the Norwegian kings as initiators Part 2: Tracing missionary activity in Norway based on material culture 3. Stone crosses 'Celtic missioning' 'Anglian missioning' German missioning Preliminary conclusions 4. The interpretation of insular metalwork in Norwegian Viking Age graves Sacred objects in early Christendom Secular objects of insular origin 5. Early Christian churches and graves 6. A geographical analysis of the Christianization process in Norway Western Norway The Kuli Stone at Kuloy, Edoy, More og Romsdal Middle Norway: Trondelag Northern Norway Eastern Norway Contents Part 3: Summary and conclusions Bibliography Appendices A-L: Clerical objects A. Stone crosses from the Viking Age B. Croziers C. Reliquaries and shrine mountings D. Crosses and cross mountings E. Book-mountings and book-shrines F. Hanging bowls G. Bronze bowls: Doubtful and non-hanging bowls H. Bronze ladles with handle I. Bronze-covered wooden buckets J. Altar- and tabernacle mountings K. Chalices, patens and holy-water sprinkler L. Cross and crucifix amulets from the Viking Age (c. AD 900-1100) Appendices M-T: Secular objects M. Ring pins and brooches of insular origin N. Harness fittings, strap distributors and other horse fittings of insular origin O. Belt clasps, strap ends etc of insular and Carolingian origin P. Drinking horns and -mountings from the British Isles Q. Swords (mainly) from the British Isles R. Balance scales of insular origin S. Early Anglo-Saxon and Frankish coins T. Late Anglo-Saxon silver coins (tenth-eleventh century)

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