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The
Nordic Bronze Age (also
Northern Bronze Age) is the name given by
Oscar Montelius to a period and a Bronze Age archaeological culture in
Scandinavian pre-history, ca 1800 BCE - 500 CE, with sites that reached as far east as Estonia .
It is generally considered to be the direct predecessor and origin of Germanic peoples culture. It succeeded the
Corded Ware culture and others to evolve into the
Proto-Germanic culture of the
Pre-Roman Iron Age. The language that the bearers of this culture probably spoke is referred to as (pre-)Proto-Germanic language.
General characteristics
in Sweden). The glyphs are painted to make them more visible. It is unknown whether they were painted originally. Composite image. Nordic Bronze Age.Even though Scandinavians joined the European Bronze Age cultures fairly late through trade, Scandinavian sites present rich and well-preserved objects made of
wool, wood and imported
Central European bronze and gold. During this period Scandinavia gave rise to the first known advanced civilization in this area, following the
Nordic Stone Age. The Scandinavians adopted many important European and
Mediterranean Sea symbols while adapting these to create a unique Nordic style. Mycenaean Greece, the Villanovan culture,
Phoenicia and Ancient Egypt have all been identified as possible sources of influence for Scandinavian artwork from this period. The foreign influence is believed to have been due to the amber trade. Amber found in Mycenaean graves from this period originates from the
Baltic Sea, so it is reasonable to assume that the culture that arose in the Nordic Bronze Age constituted one supply end of the so-called Amber Road. Many petroglyphs depict ships, and the large stone formations known as stone ships suggest that shipping played an important role. Several petroglyphs depict ships that have been identified as plausibly Mediterranean.
in Sweden).There are many mounds and fields of petroglyphs from the period, but their significance has long since been lost. Numerous artifacts of bronze and gold have also been found. The rather crude appearance of the petroglyphs compared to the bronze workings have given rise to the theory that they were produced by different cultures or different social groups. No written language existed in the
Nordic countries during the Bronze Age. The petroglyphs have been dated as belonging to the Nordic Bronze Age by comparing depicted artifacts with archaeological finds, for example bronze axes are often portrayed in petroglyphs. The first archaeologist to make this connection was
Oscar Montelius. (There are also numerous Nordic Stone Age petroglyphs, mostly portraying elk.)
The Nordic Bronze Age evolved continuously through the
Pre-Roman Iron Age and the
Roman Iron Age into the Germanic Iron Age and consequently both linguists and archaeologists believe that the culture of the Nordic Bronze Age and the expansion of the following Iron Age cultures corresponded to that of Proto-Germanic and the
Germanic tribes.
Sub-periodization
s such as the lurs of Brudevaelte found in
Denmark were probably used in Bronze Age rituals.
Oscar Montelius, who coined the term used for the period, divided it into six distinct sub-periods in his piece
Om tidsbestämning inom bronsåldern med särskilt avseende på Skandinavien ("On Bronze Age dating with particular focus on Scandinavia") published in 1885 which is still in wide use (For
Central Europe a different system developed by Paul Reinecke is commonly used):
These six periods are then followed by the
Pre-Roman Iron Age. Another, broader subdivision is the "Early Bronze Age" between 1800 BC and 1100 BC and the "Late Bronze Age" 1100 BC to 550 BC.
Climate
The Nordic Bronze Age was characterized by a warm climate that began with a
climate change circa 2700 BC (comparable to that of present-day Mediterranean). The warm climate permitted a relatively dense population and good farming, for example grapes were grown in Scandinavia at this time. However a small change in climate between 850 BC and
760 BC and a more radical one circa
650 BC brought in a deteriorating, wetter and colder climate (sometimes believed to have given rise to the legend of the Fimbulwinter).
It seems likely that the climate pushed the Germanic tribes southwards into continental Europe. During this time there was Scandinavian influence in Eastern Europe (and a thousand years later, the numerous
East Germanic tribes that claimed Scandinavian origins (e.g. Langobards, Burgundians,
Goths and Heruls) rendered Scandinavia (Scandza) the name
womb of nations in Jordanes'
Getica).
In fact, the Scandinavian influence on
Pomerania and northern Poland from period III onwards was so considerable that this region is sometimes included in the Nordic Bronze Age culture (Dabrowski 1989:73).
Due to the climate change and the loss of population, the Nordic countries are generally described as going through a cultural recession at the end of the Bronze Age, lasting for a thousand years until the rise of another advanced civilization in the so-called Viking Age.
Religion
pulled by a horse is believed to be a sculpture illustrating an important part of Nordic Bronze Age mythology.
Not much is known about the Nordic Bronze Age religion, since written sources are lacking. However numerous archaeological finds draw a vague picture of what the religion might have been, but possibly some sects of it and possibly only certain tribes. Some of the best clues to the religion of this period come from the rock carvings scattered through Northern Europe.
In general most scholars agree that the Bronze Age religion was centered around the sun or a sun god. The sun was carried across the sky on a wagon pulled by a horse. Rock carvings from this time period sometimes show a sun wheel (usually depicted as an equilateral cross in a circle) near or being held by a figure that seems to be male. The gender of this figure is not known with certainty, but is believed to be male because of a penis-like projection coming from the groin. It is interesting to note that while the sun seems to have been worshipped as a male figure during the Bronze Age, later Scandinavian pagan beliefs pictured the sun as a goddess (Sunna in Norse religion), and the word for "Sun" is generally attested with feminine
grammatical gender in the later Germanic languages. It is unknown how this transition occurred; perhaps a merging of different cultures is the answer.
.
A pair of
twin gods are believed to have been worshipped, and is reflected in a duality in all things sacred: where sacrificial artifacts have been buried they are often found in pairs. A female or
mother goddess is believed to have been widely worshipped (see
Nerthus). Sacrifices (animals, weapons, jewelry and men) have been connected to water and small lakes or ponds have often been used as holy places for sacrifice and many artifacts have been found in such locations. Hieros gamos rites may have been common. Ritual instruments such as lur have been found sacrificed and are believed to have been used in ceremonies.
Bronze Age rock carvings may contain some of the earliest depictions of well known gods from later Norse mythology. A common figure in these rock carvings is that of a male figure carrying what appears to be an axe or hammer. Most likely, this may have been an early representation of Thor. Other male figures are shown holding a spear. Whether this is a representation of Odin or Tyr is not known, as both gods are associated with this weapon. It is possible the figure may have been a representation of Tyr, as one example of a Bronze Age rock carving appears to show a figure missing a hand. A figure holding a bow may be an early representation of Ullr.
Remnants of the Bronze Age religion and mythology are believed to exist in Germanic mythology and Norse mythology, see for example Skinfaxi and
Hrímfaxi,
Nerthus.
See also
External links
References
- Dabrowski, J. (1989) Nordische Kreis un Kulturen Polnischer Gebiete. Die Bronzezeit im Ostseegebiet. Ein Rapport der Kgl. Schwedischen Akademie der Literatur Geschichte und Alter unt Altertumsforschung über das Julita-Symposium 1986. Ed Ambrosiani, B. Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien. Konferenser 22. Stockholm.
- Davidson, H. R. Ellis and Gelling, Peter: The Chariot of the Sun and other Rites and Symbols of the Northern European Bronze Age.
- K. Demakopoulou (ed.), Gods and Heroes of the European Bronze Age, published on the occasion of the exhibition "Gods and Heroes of the Bronze Age. Europe at the Time of Ulysses", from December 19, 1998, to April 5, 1999, at the National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, London (1999), ISBN 0-500-01915-0.
- Demougeot, E. La formation de l'Europe et les invasions barbares, Paris: Editions Montaigne, 1969-1974.
- Kaliff, Anders. 2001. Gothic Connections. Contacts between eastern Scandinavia and the southern Baltic coast 1000 BC – 500 AD.
- Oscar Montelius, 1885. Om tidsbestämning inom bronsåldern med särskilt avseende på Skandinavien.
- Musset, L. Les invasions: les vagues germanique, Paris: Presses universitaires de France, 1965.
- Nordgren, I. 2004. Well Spring Of The Goths. About the Gothic Peoples in the Nordic Countries and on the Continent.
The
Nordic Bronze Age (also
Northern Bronze Age) is the name given by
Oscar Montelius to a period and a Bronze Age
archaeological culture in Scandinavian pre-history, ca
1800 BCE -
500 CE, with sites that reached as far east as Estonia .
It is generally considered to be the direct predecessor and origin of Germanic peoples culture. It succeeded the
Corded Ware culture and others to evolve into the
Proto-Germanic culture of the
Pre-Roman Iron Age. The language that the bearers of this culture probably spoke is referred to as (pre-)Proto-Germanic language.
General characteristics
in Sweden). The glyphs are painted to make them more visible. It is unknown whether they were painted originally. Composite image. Nordic Bronze Age.Even though Scandinavians joined the European Bronze Age cultures fairly late through trade, Scandinavian sites present rich and well-preserved objects made of wool, wood and imported Central European bronze and
gold. During this period Scandinavia gave rise to the first known advanced civilization in this area, following the
Nordic Stone Age. The Scandinavians adopted many important European and Mediterranean Sea symbols while adapting these to create a unique Nordic style. Mycenaean Greece, the
Villanovan culture,
Phoenicia and Ancient Egypt have all been identified as possible sources of influence for Scandinavian artwork from this period. The foreign influence is believed to have been due to the amber trade. Amber found in Mycenaean graves from this period originates from the
Baltic Sea, so it is reasonable to assume that the culture that arose in the Nordic Bronze Age constituted one supply end of the so-called Amber Road. Many petroglyphs depict ships, and the large stone formations known as stone ships suggest that shipping played an important role. Several petroglyphs depict ships that have been identified as plausibly Mediterranean.
in Sweden).There are many mounds and fields of
petroglyphs from the period, but their significance has long since been lost. Numerous artifacts of bronze and gold have also been found. The rather crude appearance of the petroglyphs compared to the bronze workings have given rise to the theory that they were produced by different cultures or different social groups. No written language existed in the Nordic countries during the Bronze Age. The petroglyphs have been dated as belonging to the Nordic Bronze Age by comparing depicted artifacts with archaeological finds, for example bronze axes are often portrayed in petroglyphs. The first archaeologist to make this connection was Oscar Montelius. (There are also numerous Nordic Stone Age petroglyphs, mostly portraying elk.)
The Nordic Bronze Age evolved continuously through the Pre-Roman Iron Age and the Roman Iron Age into the
Germanic Iron Age and consequently both linguists and archaeologists believe that the culture of the Nordic Bronze Age and the expansion of the following Iron Age cultures corresponded to that of
Proto-Germanic and the Germanic tribes.
Sub-periodization
s such as the lurs of Brudevaelte found in
Denmark were probably used in Bronze Age rituals.
Oscar Montelius, who coined the term used for the period, divided it into six distinct sub-periods in his piece
Om tidsbestämning inom bronsåldern med särskilt avseende på Skandinavien ("On Bronze Age dating with particular focus on Scandinavia") published in
1885 which is still in wide use (For Central Europe a different system developed by
Paul Reinecke is commonly used):
These six periods are then followed by the
Pre-Roman Iron Age. Another, broader subdivision is the "Early Bronze Age" between 1800 BC and 1100 BC and the "Late Bronze Age" 1100 BC to 550 BC.
Climate
The Nordic Bronze Age was characterized by a warm climate that began with a climate change circa 2700 BC (comparable to that of present-day Mediterranean). The warm climate permitted a relatively dense population and good farming, for example grapes were grown in Scandinavia at this time. However a small change in climate between 850 BC and
760 BC and a more radical one circa
650 BC brought in a deteriorating, wetter and colder climate (sometimes believed to have given rise to the legend of the
Fimbulwinter).
It seems likely that the climate pushed the Germanic tribes southwards into continental Europe. During this time there was Scandinavian influence in Eastern Europe (and a thousand years later, the numerous East Germanic tribes that claimed Scandinavian origins (e.g.
Langobards, Burgundians,
Goths and
Heruls) rendered Scandinavia (Scandza) the name
womb of nations in Jordanes'
Getica).
In fact, the Scandinavian influence on Pomerania and northern Poland from period III onwards was so considerable that this region is sometimes included in the Nordic Bronze Age culture (Dabrowski 1989:73).
Due to the climate change and the loss of population, the Nordic countries are generally described as going through a cultural recession at the end of the Bronze Age, lasting for a thousand years until the rise of another advanced civilization in the so-called Viking Age.
Religion
pulled by a horse is believed to be a sculpture illustrating an important part of Nordic Bronze Age mythology.
Not much is known about the Nordic Bronze Age religion, since written sources are lacking. However numerous archaeological finds draw a vague picture of what the religion might have been, but possibly some sects of it and possibly only certain tribes. Some of the best clues to the religion of this period come from the rock carvings scattered through Northern Europe.
In general most scholars agree that the Bronze Age religion was centered around the sun or a sun god. The sun was carried across the sky on a wagon pulled by a horse. Rock carvings from this time period sometimes show a sun wheel (usually depicted as an equilateral cross in a circle) near or being held by a figure that seems to be male. The gender of this figure is not known with certainty, but is believed to be male because of a penis-like projection coming from the groin. It is interesting to note that while the sun seems to have been worshipped as a male figure during the Bronze Age, later Scandinavian pagan beliefs pictured the sun as a goddess (Sunna in Norse religion), and the word for "Sun" is generally attested with feminine
grammatical gender in the later Germanic languages. It is unknown how this transition occurred; perhaps a merging of different cultures is the answer.
.
A pair of twin gods are believed to have been worshipped, and is reflected in a duality in all things sacred: where sacrificial artifacts have been buried they are often found in pairs. A female or mother goddess is believed to have been widely worshipped (see Nerthus). Sacrifices (animals, weapons, jewelry and men) have been connected to water and small lakes or ponds have often been used as holy places for sacrifice and many artifacts have been found in such locations.
Hieros gamos rites may have been common. Ritual instruments such as
lur have been found sacrificed and are believed to have been used in ceremonies.
Bronze Age rock carvings may contain some of the earliest depictions of well known gods from later Norse mythology. A common figure in these rock carvings is that of a male figure carrying what appears to be an axe or hammer. Most likely, this may have been an early representation of Thor. Other male figures are shown holding a spear. Whether this is a representation of Odin or Tyr is not known, as both gods are associated with this weapon. It is possible the figure may have been a representation of Tyr, as one example of a Bronze Age rock carving appears to show a figure missing a hand. A figure holding a bow may be an early representation of Ullr.
Remnants of the Bronze Age religion and mythology are believed to exist in Germanic mythology and Norse mythology, see for example
Skinfaxi and
Hrímfaxi, Nerthus.
See also
External links
References
- Dabrowski, J. (1989) Nordische Kreis un Kulturen Polnischer Gebiete. Die Bronzezeit im Ostseegebiet. Ein Rapport der Kgl. Schwedischen Akademie der Literatur Geschichte und Alter unt Altertumsforschung über das Julita-Symposium 1986. Ed Ambrosiani, B. Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien. Konferenser 22. Stockholm.
- Davidson, H. R. Ellis and Gelling, Peter: The Chariot of the Sun and other Rites and Symbols of the Northern European Bronze Age.
- K. Demakopoulou (ed.), Gods and Heroes of the European Bronze Age, published on the occasion of the exhibition "Gods and Heroes of the Bronze Age. Europe at the Time of Ulysses", from December 19, 1998, to April 5, 1999, at the National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, London (1999), ISBN 0-500-01915-0.
- Demougeot, E. La formation de l'Europe et les invasions barbares, Paris: Editions Montaigne, 1969-1974.
- Kaliff, Anders. 2001. Gothic Connections. Contacts between eastern Scandinavia and the southern Baltic coast 1000 BC – 500 AD.
- Oscar Montelius, 1885. Om tidsbestämning inom bronsåldern med särskilt avseende på Skandinavien.
- Musset, L. Les invasions: les vagues germanique, Paris: Presses universitaires de France, 1965.
- Nordgren, I. 2004. Well Spring Of The Goths. About the Gothic Peoples in the Nordic Countries and on the Continent.
Nordic Bronze Age - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Nordic Bronze Age (also Northern Bronze Age) is the name given by Oscar Montelius to a period and a Bronze Age culture in Scandinavian pre-history, ca 1800 BCE - 500 BCE, with ...
Category:Nordic Bronze Age - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pages in category "Nordic Bronze Age" The following 12 pages are in this category, out of 12 total. Updates to this list can occasionally be delayed for a few days.
Category:Nordic Bronze Age - Wikimedia Commons
Pages in category "Nordic Bronze Age" This category contains only the following page. S. Stone graves, Gotland
Category:Bronze Age - Wikimedia Commons
Nordic Bronze Age (6) ... Media in category "Bronze Age" The following 42 files are in this category, out of ...
The Nordic Bronze Age civilisation 2000-500 B.C.
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Bronze Age
This is the eastern outpost of the Nordic Bronze Age culture. Visitors are guided to two striking landscapes: the Rebala Reserve east of Tallin and the Kaali meteorite crater field ...
Viking Jewelry, custom nordic knives, reindeer furs from Lapland
Viking jewelry and handcrafted replica bronze-age pendants from Scandinavia and Lapland, traditional custom Nordic Knives and accessories from Marttiini of ...
Nordic - Hutchinson encyclopedia article about Nordic
Nordic. Ethnic designation for any of the various Germanic peoples, especially ... Nordic blading Nordic Bronze Age Nordic Business Administration Training Center
INEX: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Nordic Bronze Age)
Table of Contents. 1 General characteristics. 1.1. Sub-periodization; 2 Climate; 3 Religion; 4 See also; 5 External links; 6 References; Map of the Nordic Bronze Age culture, ca ...
