The Viking Age. Volume 1 (of 2): The early history, manners, and customs of the ancestors of the English-speaking nationsDu Chaillu, Paul B. (Paul Belloni)
History
The Viking Age. Volume 1 (of 2): The early history, manners, and customs of the ancestors of the English-speaking nations
This grave[112] was found under a large but not very deep mound, and is
divided into a large chamber and two smaller ones, separated by stone
slabs.
In it were remains of sixty skeletons, and by their side a large number
of poniards, spear-points, arrow-heads, and other objects of flint and
stone, showing that the grave belonged to the period when stone
implements were still in use; but among the skeletons in the lower part
of the grave a couple of bronze beads and a bronze spear-point were
found.
[Illustration:
Fig. 12.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 13.—Plan of above Mound.
Mound, Broholm. Sepulchral chamber made of boulders, with short
passage leading to it. Stones from 4 feet 15 inches to 4 feet high,
and 2½ to 4 feet wide; inside of the chamber 9 feet wide. Only four
stones remain of the passage leading to the chamber, which is about
2 feet wide, and turns south-west. The space between the boulders is
filled with small stones. In the chamber were charcoal and different
things. To the left of the entrance lay remains of two skulls close
to each other; and spread in every direction were daggers, blades,
and points of spears, points of arrows, numerous amber beads, a
necklace of amber, four clay vessels, and fragments of others, &c.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 14.—Entrance to passage grave at Uby, Holbæk amt, Denmark.
Diameter 100 feet, height 14 feet. The length of the chamber is 13½
feet, width 7½ feet, height 7½ feet. Entrance towards the south
passage is 18 feet long, 2½ feet wide, and 5½ feet high. There were
found in the passage many human bones and several flint implements
and three small clay urns.
]
The isolated stone coffins were formed of flat upright stones, and were
four-sided, though the two longer sides were not parallel, thus making
the coffin narrower at one end than at the other. Most of them were
probably covered with one or more stones; and although these have in
many places long ago been destroyed or removed, they are sometimes still
found in their place. The direction of these coffins is almost always
from north to south, and they are generally surrounded by a mound of
stones of more or less stone-mixed earth. This form of grave was
probably the outcome of the omission of the passage. Several
intermediate forms have been found, showing how the passage was
gradually lessened until it can only be traced in the opening which
narrows at the south end of the coffin.
[Illustration:
Fig. 15.—Interior of the passage grave at Uby. The spaces between the
large stones filled with pebbles. The roof is formed by two large
stones which have been cut from a large block.
]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account