Allgemein

Aelius Aelianus was here   1) Some of the shield bosses found in the Thorsberg and Nydam bogs are Roman imports. This piece bears the Roman inscription AEL·AELIANUS — a former owner? The dotted inscription was redrawn with white ink after its discovery.    Location: Thorsberg Bog    Material: Copper alloy  One Weapon – Two Worlds    2) Germanic swords were a hybrid…

The Only One of Its Kind   This mask is unique in the Germanic world. Its prototypes can be found in the ceremonial masks of the Roman army.    This object, too, was severely damaged and deformed before it was deposited. Today, only traces of this remain to indicate this—because shortly after its discovery, attempts were made to restore…

Destroyed Witnesses  A surprising pattern emerges, particularly in the case of horse bridles and gold bracelets: the most valuable objects were destroyed or cut up more frequently than the less valuable ones. Is this because their owners were particularly important, and their possessions were therefore regarded as powerful? Perhaps the traces of destruction reflect the power and significance of these…

A harsh bridle   Riding into battle on a flight-prone animal is a challenge. When extensive training is not possible, a harsh bridle such as this is used to keep the horse under control. This type of bridle features many elements designed to painfully prevent the horse from resisting the rider’s will.     Find site: Thorsberger bog  …

Trial and error At first glance, we see a completely preserved horse harness. However, it was randomly put together and supplemented from individual fragments by Conrad Engelhardt. With the help of glue, textiles and wax, he creatively redesigned it.  Find location: Thorsberger Moor  Material: Leather, silver, adhesive, textile, wax. 

Once Separated – Now Reunited    Once randomly divided between Schleswig and Copenhagen, all the finds were reunited for the Schleswig research project. What was once separated is now reunited. Through careful analysis of form, decoration, and signs of use, it was demonstrated that individual objects were originally part of a complete set of horse tack. This made…

Damaged Heads  Conrad Engelhardt discovered numerous iron spear and lance heads in the Nydam bog. Some of these weapons showed clear signs of damage. Engelhardt could only explain this by assuming that they had been intentionally damaged before being deposited in the lake.     Location: Nydam bog   Material: Iron  

Spears and Lances   Spears were used exclusively as throwing weapons, as their barbs made them difficult to pull out of a struck opponent. This severely impaired the victim’s ability to move and prevented the spear from being thrown back. Lance heads have no barbs. They were primarily used as thrusting weapons. Equipped with large, broad head, they were…

A Well-Rounded Affair   Shields in the first centuries A.D. were flat and roughly round. They consisted of several boards glued together. The wood was likely covered with raw hide, parchment, leather, or gut. Prior to that, shields had an elongated basic shape; they could be rectangular, oval, or hexagonal. The shields in this display case are assembled from unrelated…

Audio transcript: It is astonishing how much riding equipment I found in the Thorsberg Moor! There can be no doubt that the people who left their belongings in the moor were, at least in part, a horse-people, familiar with the use of horses and capable of outfitting them to a high standard. Just look at…