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Bell

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This small bell made from a cast copper alloy was manufactured during the 10th century and served a more decorative purpose. The small size would have made them impractical for use on livestock. Similar bells have been found in Norwegian burials from the same period. Their characteristic hexagonal shape and clapper design are consistent.[1]

The metalwork, especially the size of the object, supports a view of the Norse as adept craftsman. The bell is barely the length of a person’s thumb from the tip to the first knuckle. Even after centuries of corrosion, the detailing on the bell is still visible. Small flanges where each of the six sides comes together and a raised loop of metal at the top would have been challenging. That there were metalsmiths who could devote this time to items with no functional purpose implies two facts: 1) that the Norse placed a high personal value on their burial rites and 2) that the economy could support these.

This particular bell was recovered by a metal detectorist in Northamptonshire, England. The lines of demarcation cede for the Danelaw in the Treaty of Wedmore (878) place Northampton within its bounds.[2] This bell implies that the Scandinavians were directly colonizing their new territory, rather than ruling it by proxy. If the Norse had chosen to subjugate the local populations, it is unlikely that they would have gone to the effort of forcing their burial rites on the local population.

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  1. Martin Hoffman Austin Mason
  2. Gallery view Austin Mason
  3. [test] Map test Tyler Chang

This page has tags:

  1. Domestic Life Celeste Tường Vy Sharpe
  2. Copper alloy Celeste Tường Vy Sharpe
  3. Early Viking Age Celeste Tường Vy Sharpe

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