The bead-makers of 8th century Ribe used pieces of glass gathered from old Roman mosaics as their raw material. They didn’t have access to newly manufactured glass. This is one of the many details that tells us about the city’s network. Credit: Museum of Southwest Jutland
Very cool.
“Analysis of the glass used by the bead makers shows that the glass originated in Palestine and Egypt. However, it was already several centuries old when it arrived in Ribe and so it must have been taken from old Roman mosaics, probably in Roman cities such as Cologne or Trier.
“We also found a roman carnelian gemstone decorated with the picture of Venus, which had been forcibly removed from the gold ring it must have decorated.
“Apparently, the gemstone was of no interest in Ribe. But the gold was. The raw material of the first goldsmiths in Ribe was very likely comprised of objects like these looted from Roman graves.”
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2018-09-thousands-scandinavia-viking-city.html#jCp
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http://viking-archaeology-blog.blogspot.com/
(A little slow right now. It’ll pick up again soon.)
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This dig is apparently using painstaking new methods of excavation and analysis to wring greater information out of the dig. As these methods spread through the profession, we can expect a wave of new insights about the past.
Sure, first Viking city... until they find the next first city.
Thanks, SunkenCiv!
Ribe was the seat of the first Christian bishop in Scandinavia. It appears the Christian community coexisted with the Vikings while they were still pagans.
