The Viking World: A History in ObjectsMain MenuGallery viewA galleryTag Cloudtag cloud pageThemesA path of thematic categoriesAuthor IndexExplore the collection by authorWorks CitedReferencesAdam Bigelow3afa9c7ecebf516bba6609664b1b12f79c54bf77Caitlin Donahue61b7e986e7c71d400e5c803912ed83c0cf65252fCaroline Harvey1783f21a5882b5b4d3d0b6c174d058052a5ff7eaEdward Hershewee701ef220480b51ca728fc9c719bc094cf813655Martin Hoffmana1fd203afd9a84ee8db567e188cf6ed1d269386eTyler Hruby23493f763b312110686cfafc62578fd0ab5f3833Brittany N. Johnsonc1c1763339f8fa953e3c907c6bb8a3bad0c28b2cCarlos Lua Pineda0a28cc23b0aa00b4f24a9e205aeb57fbdb07ff01Moira McConnell710633400590ea38533ea3412c01fc5056288180Clara McCurdy9aec76477d0b55f9c685c47330d6786ec98182e1Elise McIlhaneyef48481634ff342c8b43c9d56f678b2d3562fb69Cameron Meikle669a5682bfbfd603130a26e25628f24eb07e6295Alexander Christopher Newkirk019c2f5b38c043507251d1789e2fdf47e61c3b7fBenja Reilly816c23aa0d444213fb2d1ef33555a15617e08228Oliver Statenc625ae8c3926f5e1a4268bc91d6a6f4cdb1e7fb6Liam Sullivanaa3a1dccb90c7fe4646b61c4af594abbb0c5574aRead Wilder31bf4715220144a665996f2e6cae80a1a8611eadAliza Yazdanicd49f227d88c72331226ddf574bf56c37308cd10Austin Masonf6137011c68eb792c6e14634815583b15e707dea
12017-05-21T23:10:40-07:00Vessel Fragment4Object pageplain2017-09-21T22:41:43-07:00This metal vessel fragment was part of a cooking cauldron, due to the material it is made out of. A metal cooking cauldron would have been used to craft fairly large meals. However, this cooking cauldron reveals much information regarding cooking technology, and the overall importance of cooking tools for the Norse.
Excavated in 2005, as part of the Hrísheimar Artifacts, in the Northeast of Iceland this fragment is approximately 10 centimeters wide. The fragment seems to have come from a vessel that is either bronze, but it is more likely corroded and rusted iron. This object was most likely crafted during the Viking age, which spans from approximately 985-1049.
There do no seem to be any clear decorations on the fragment however; it is quite clear that this metal fragment came from a large metal cauldron.[1]In fact, a large cooking cauldron demonstrates the magnitude of meals that were prepared by the Norse. Viking meals often prepared in “soapstone or iron cauldrons [were] common cooking apparatus for the Viking. The cauldron was constructed from many thin iron plates, which were riveted to form the pot… The cauldron was popular amongst the [Norse] to cook stews that comprise pork, leeks, cabbage and spices.”[2]As demonstrated by this quote, cauldrons provided the Norse with a simplistic, easy way to prepare meals.
Due to the fact that this object is made of iron, it reflects the importance that iron had for Norse culture.[3]One interesting thing to note is that this object was recovered in Iceland, indicating the fact that Norse migrants felt it necessary to transport their tools despite the remoteness of the area they were moving to. Overall, this cauldron demonstrates the cooking technology the Norse relied upon, and their willingness to transport such large tools with them. It seems that the many dishes of the Norse still persist to this day.