Vestvågøy
Theme - 7
Imported Material
In 1981 at the Borg Heights the local farmer
found pieces of broken glass and pottery-shards
(shards of ceramic jugs) from central-Europe
reckoned to be more than 1000 years old. Such
artifacts were previously unknown in Norway, and
show contact with the Continent.
In Norway, imported artefacts similar to those
from Borg have only been found at Kaupang in the
South.
Excavations from 1986-1989 revealed shards of
imported glass vessels of the Late Iron Age, a
material found only once north of the Arctic
Circle. Together with the glass, the first example
of imported pottery from this period was found.
These artefacts are regarded as indications of high
social status and of long-distance connections.
Thus, from the beginning, Borg was regarded as a
possible chieftain's farm, and therefore a central
place. This theory is supported with the occurrence
of large boat-house foundations at Borg.
It is probable that the artefacts imported from
the Continent and from the British Isles can be
regarded as symbols of power and prestige. Still,
it is difficult to decide whether the objects
reached Borg as exchange of gifts or within the
framework of trade. Anyway it seems more likely
that these items came to Borg through a very long
span of time, from the sixth to the tenth
century.
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This tiny filigreed work of art in gold
is perhaps the tip of a priest's pointer,
used to turn the pages of sacred
scriptures. The artifact shows first-class
craftsmanship.
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Bird in amber, probably a pendant for a
necklace or an amulet. Both jet and amber
were valuable raw materials, to a varying
extent indicating social status. Amber was
imported from the Baltic area.
The neck of the bird is bent backwards,
thus forming a circle between neck and
body, in which the bird balances. This
possibly indicates that it was used as a
pendant, like many other small
sculptures.
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This
project has been supported by the EU as part of the Culture
2000 programme.