Papers by Andres (Minos) Dobat
Arkæologisk Forum, 2023
In Denmark, all development-led archaeology is run by ‘state-authorized’ museums. A commercial ar... more In Denmark, all development-led archaeology is run by ‘state-authorized’ museums. A commercial archaeology sector does not exist – or does it? Does the Danish model of a museum monopoly over development-led archaeology really differ substantially to commercial models across Europe? And does it produce better archaeology in terms of research output and societal value? This debate piece wants to kickstart an uncomfortable, yet necessary discussion. When the time arrives, and Danish museums will have to argue why their monopoly should prevail, they will need good arguments. Maybe, therefore, the hypothetical prospect of a commercial model for development-led archaeology is not as bleak as it seems at first sight.
DANISH JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY, 2022
In 2003, a hitherto unknown Viking Age settlement was discovered at Füsing in Northe... more In 2003, a hitherto unknown Viking Age settlement was discovered at Füsing in Northern Germany. Finds and building features suggest that the site was an estate centre and assem-bly place. As such, the site flourished from around 700 to the end of the 10th century. With Hedeby/Schleswig and the Danevirke in direct eyesight, Füsing is embedded in a special topographical context. What in other circumstances would have been yet another high-status estate centre to be discovered in South Scandinavia thus takes on a different significance. It is suggested that Füsing – among other functions – served as a seasonal garrison and naval base in the defensive system of the Danevirke. As such, the site may be identical with the mythical Sliesthorp, which is mentioned in early written sources as the centre of power of the first Danish kings in this disputed border region of their realm.
Siedlungs- und Küstenforschung im südlichen Nordseegebiet (SKN), 2019
Seit den 1980er-Jahren ist die von Laien betriebene Suche nach archäologischen Funden mit Metalld... more Seit den 1980er-Jahren ist die von Laien betriebene Suche nach archäologischen Funden mit Metalldetektoren in Dänemark ein zentraler Bestandteil der archäologischen Forschung und Denkmalpflege. Die Folge ist ein enormer Zuwachs an Fundplätzen und Funden aller metallreichen Perioden. Die stetig wachsende Zahl von Sondengängern und der damit einhergehende Anstieg der Fundmengen stellen für die verantwortlichen Akteure, insbesondere die lokalen archäologischen Museen, eine kontinuierliche Herausforderung dar. Mit der Entwicklung eines digitalen Registrierungsportals geht man nun neue Wege im Umgang mit Sondengängern und deren Funde und setzt auf Bürgerbeteiligung, crowd-sourcing und citizen science.
DANISH JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY, 2019
In September 2018, the DIME portal was officially launched to facilitate the user driven recordin... more In September 2018, the DIME portal was officially launched to facilitate the user driven recording of metal detector finds produced by members of the public. The concrete and operational aim of DIME is to provide a portal for the registering and hence safeguarding of the increasing number of metal detector finds and to make them accessible for the general public and for research. The more overarching vision behind the DIME project is to realise the potential of recreational metal detecting as a medium to implement an inclusive and democratic approach to heritage management in Denmark and to advance the incorporation of principles of citizen science and crowdsourcing in museum practice. This article intends to present the background of the DIME portal’s development, its basic functionalities and their technological underpinning as well as the overarching vision behind DIME.
International Journal of Heritage Studies, 2019
This article presents the results of a questionnaire-based survey of the perceived effects of met... more This article presents the results of a questionnaire-based survey of the perceived effects of metal detecting among British Armed Forces veterans with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and/or other diagnosed or undiagnosed psychological disorders. Although the qualitative analysis presented here is only a first step towards understanding its beneficial effects, the authors conclude that archaeological metal detecting can be regarded as having the potential to positively influence well-being and happiness for people suffering from mental health problems. The findings suggest that practitioners feel that metal detecting has a significantly positive and lasting effect on their health and well-being. A significant number of respondents feel that metal detecting has alleviated specific symptoms of their mental disorders (PTSD, depression, anxiety disorders). The key factors for the beneficial effect of metal detecting appear to be of a mental, sensory, physical and social nature. First and foremost, however, its beneficial effect seems to be deeply rooted in the fact that the participants interact with archaeological heritage.
Arkæologisk Forum, 2018
Den 20. september 2018 lanceredes første version af metaldetektorplatformen DIME (Digitale Metald... more Den 20. september 2018 lanceredes første version af metaldetektorplatformen DIME (Digitale Metaldetektorfund). Hermed er der taget et første skridt frem mod en digital løsning på nogle af de store udfordringer, dansk metaldetektorarkæologi står overfor. Disse udgøres af voksende fundmængder og registreringsefterslæb, begrænset udnyttelse af fundene i forskningssammenhæng og begrænsede muligheder for den brede offentlighed for at tilgå fundene og viden herom. Som brugerdrevet registreringssystem bygger DIME en digital bro mellem amatørarkæologer og museer. Herigennem understøttes en samskabende tilgang til kulturarvsforvaltningen, hvor digitale værktøjer anvendes til at bringe detektorbrugernes kollektive viden og kompetencer aktivt i spil. Med DIME implementeres ’crowd-sourcing’ og ’citizen-science’ principper inden for et kerneområde i museumsarbejdet, og museumslovens idealer om at gøre kulturarven aktuel, tilgængelig og vedkommende for borgere og samfund, vil blive aktualiseret.
Vikingetiden er Danmarks og danskernes oprindelsesmyte og den dyrkes på linje med en religion, hv... more Vikingetiden er Danmarks og danskernes oprindelsesmyte og den dyrkes på linje med en religion, hvor der kun er begrænset plads til multisone narrativer og kritiske refleksioner. Fortiden omtales i ”VI” form, og den opleves og erfares emotionelt som et tidløst slægtskabsbånd der sammenknytter fortidige og nulevende generationer. For os fagfolk gælder det om, at acceptere denne særlige, folkelige forbindelse til vikingetiden og bruge den konstruktivt. Vi skal bygge bro mellem den emotionelle og slægtsbaserede relation til fortiden og det arkæologifaglige syn på relationen mellem fortiden og os som et skæbnefællesskab, baseret på nedarvede strukturer og handlinger. Men dette kræver, at vi som fagfolk omstiller os og vores måde at formidle på.
The inconspicuous lead gaming pieces from Fuesing suggest that at least some of the warriors base... more The inconspicuous lead gaming pieces from Fuesing suggest that at least some of the warriors based here, at this highly strategic point in the early Danish kingdom, were battle-worn warriors who had already gained experience as members of the Great Army in Britain....
From the beginning of metal-detector based archaeology practiced by members of the public, the fo... more From the beginning of metal-detector based archaeology practiced by members of the public, the formal heritage sector in Denmark determined to pursue a liberal model based on cooperation and inclusion rather than confrontation and criminalization. Based on the findings of the '2015 Danish detectorists survey' it is argued that Danish metal-detector archaeology has challenged the classic division of roles in archaeology and heritage management, and that at least a large proportion of Danish detectorists practice their hobby adhering to the highest professional standards, which stand in sharp contrast to the often-cited stereotype of the detectorists as mere 'treasure hunter'.
Drawing on both written and archaeological evidence, this paper investigates the significance of ... more Drawing on both written and archaeological evidence, this paper investigates the significance of the foreign, and in particular the concept of the ‘stranger- king’, in Viking Age Scandinavia. Focusing on the case of the Danish Jelling dynasty, the monumental complex at Jelling is reinterpreted as a material- ization of a stranger-king myth: the ship-setting reproduces the narrative of the founding of the dynasty by an immigrant forefather, and the earthen burial mounds convey the idea of the foreign king taking possession of the locals’ land. In a broader perspective, the stranger-king concept and the special association of the king with the foreign is identified as an integral element of Old Norse myth and a Scandinavian archetype of rulership. The embracing of the foreign in many different forms is seen as a political strategy whose aim is to illustrate a king’s special connection to the forces of the distant and unknown world beyond direct human control, and which clothes him with an aura of the strange and the exotic. In this way, and closely related to the concept of sacral rulership, the foreign emerges as a source of power and a presupposition for the formation of early states in Scandinavia.
Since the early 1980s, metal-detector surveying by non-professional volunteers (i.e., amateur arc... more Since the early 1980s, metal-detector surveying by non-professional volunteers (i.e., amateur archaeologists) has contributed significantly to archaeological research and heritage management in Denmark. Metal detecting has always been legal in Denmark, and since the beginning of metal-detector archaeology, official stakeholders have pursued a liberal model, focusing on cooperation and inclusion rather than confrontation and criminalization. Unlike other surveying methods, metal detecting has contributed to an enormous increase in the number of data and sites from metal-rich periods. Virtually all of the spectacular and groundbreaking discoveries of the past decades were made by amateur archaeologists using metal detectors. To contribute to the discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of a liberal policy toward metal-detector archaeology, this article primarily addresses three questions: 1) Why does the liberal model function in Denmark? 2) What are the disadvantages of the liberal model of metal-detector archaeology in Denmark that can be identified 30 years after its inception? 3) What are possible solutions to these problems? It is argued that a user-driven national inventory of metal-detector finds as the basis for research and dissemination is a precondition for the future functioning of the Danish liberal model.
Since the early 1980s, metal detector surveying conducted by amateur archaeologists has contribut... more Since the early 1980s, metal detector surveying conducted by amateur archaeologists has contributed significantly to archaeological research and heritage practice in Denmark. Here, metal detecting has always been legal, and official stakeholders pursue a liberal model, focusing on cooperation and inclusion rather than confrontation and criminalization. Like no other surveying method since the invention of the shovel, the metal detector has contributed to increasing enormously the amount of data and sites from metal-rich periods. Virtually all of the spectacular and ground-breaking discoveries of the past decades are owed to metal detectors in the hands of amateur archaeologists. And it is these finds and
sites that today constitute one of the very foci of archaeological research. This article provides an overview of the current status of liberal metal detector archaeology in Denmark 30 years after its inception, and attempts to identify the reasons why this popular hobby never developed into the problem it has
become in other parts of the world. It concludes that the success of the liberal model in Denmark is the result of a very complex interplay of legislative, historical, cultural, and social factors. On this basis, it is discussed whether the Danish experience can be used as a source of inspiration in the necessary progression towards a new legal agenda for responsible metal detector archaeology.
The Illerup Aadal weapon sacrifice mirrors
the material world of a Germanic army
from c. AD 210. ... more The Illerup Aadal weapon sacrifice mirrors
the material world of a Germanic army
from c. AD 210. Apart from the personal
equipment and the weaponry of more than
400 warriors, it comprises four horses.
The present paper gives the first conclusive
analysis of the skeletal remains of these
animals, involving osteological investigation
and strontium isotope analysis. The results
shed new light on the character of the
sacrificial ceremonies which unfolded in the
aftermath of Iron Age battles; on the nature
of cavalry and its significance in Iron Age
warfare; and on the much debated question
as to where the army of Illerup Aadal had originally come from.
published in: Trade and Cummunication Networks of the First Millennium AD in the northern part of... more published in: Trade and Cummunication Networks of the First Millennium AD in the northern part of Central Europe. Stuttgart: Konrad Theiss Verlag, 2010, pp. 362-373.
The circular fortress of Trelleborg on Zealand in Denmark is well known as a military camp with a... more The circular fortress of Trelleborg on Zealand in Denmark is well known as a military camp with a key role in the formation of the Danish state under Harald Bluetooth in the tenth century AD. Taking a sample of 48 burials from the fort, strontium isotope analysis once again demonstrates its ability to eavesdrop on a community: at Trelleborg, the young men in its cemetery were largely recruited from outside Denmark, perhaps from Norway or the Slavic regions. Even persons buried together proved to have different origins, and the three females sampled were all from overseas, including a wealthy woman with a silver casket. Trelleborg, home of Harald Bluetooth’s army, was a fortress of foreigners
with vivid implications for the nature of his political mission.
Keywords: southern Scandinavia, strontium isotopes, migration, bioarchaeology
his contribution focuses upon the role of external forces (strangers) in state formation. In many... more his contribution focuses upon the role of external forces (strangers) in state formation. In many societies, the process of state formation appears to have conflicted with traditional patterns of social organization, which constrained the leading promoters of the state. In this situation, the incorporation of a third party of agents constitutes a potential strategy for those promoters to bypass the established order of society and implement a new organizational structure. Based on this assumption, archaeological data relating to a particular process of state formation, namely Viking- Age south Scandinavia (c. 900–1050), are evaluated. Individuals and groups of people of foreign origin are identified in the context of runic monuments, settlements, burials, and treasure finds. The roles of these ‘strangers’ in internal social affairs and the presuppositions and consequences of their involvement are discussed. It is argued that they functioned as influential catalysts, not only in the implementation of structural principles of state organization, but also in its later collapse.
Keywords: state formation, foreigners, Scandinavia, Viking Age, protohistoric archaeology
DANEVIRKE IS REVISITED, aiming at a more differentiated and comprehensive understanding of the mo... more DANEVIRKE IS REVISITED, aiming at a more differentiated and comprehensive understanding of the monument. The archaeological evidence is interpreted more or less inde- pendently of the written evidence, as a reflection of the organisational practice of a changing society. This approach harnesses Danevirke’s potential as a material reflection of a long-term development of military and, through this, socio-political organisation. The main questions are what the archaeological record implies for the socio-political background of Danevirke, and the constitutional character of the many different societies and institutions behind each stage of its construction. A further issue is the changing relationship between Danevirke and Hedeby/ Schleswig, and its implications regarding the process of urbanisation. The proposal is that Danevirke involved many different forms of centralised leadership, depending on varying historical situations, different military-strategic challenges and the different resources and diverse objectives of the leading promoters behind its construction. The results therefore help to shed light on a decisive phase in the evolution of S Scandinavian society.
Historic and archaeological scholarship traditionally viewed the missionary endeavours of the Arc... more Historic and archaeological scholarship traditionally viewed the missionary endeavours of the Archbishopric of Hamburg-Bremen in Scandinavia during the 9th century primarily as an expression of the early medieval missionary ideal. In the following article, based on textual and archaeological sources, the activities of the Archbishopric and its church foun- dations are also illuminated against the background of the economic interests of the secular and especially the spiritual power elite of the continent. A differentiated view of the early continental mission results from this discussion, yielding new perspectives on the structure and character of the early medieval exchange of goods between the continent and Scandi- navia, as well as the emporia of Birka, Haithabu and Ribe.
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Papers by Andres (Minos) Dobat
sites that today constitute one of the very foci of archaeological research. This article provides an overview of the current status of liberal metal detector archaeology in Denmark 30 years after its inception, and attempts to identify the reasons why this popular hobby never developed into the problem it has
become in other parts of the world. It concludes that the success of the liberal model in Denmark is the result of a very complex interplay of legislative, historical, cultural, and social factors. On this basis, it is discussed whether the Danish experience can be used as a source of inspiration in the necessary progression towards a new legal agenda for responsible metal detector archaeology.
the material world of a Germanic army
from c. AD 210. Apart from the personal
equipment and the weaponry of more than
400 warriors, it comprises four horses.
The present paper gives the first conclusive
analysis of the skeletal remains of these
animals, involving osteological investigation
and strontium isotope analysis. The results
shed new light on the character of the
sacrificial ceremonies which unfolded in the
aftermath of Iron Age battles; on the nature
of cavalry and its significance in Iron Age
warfare; and on the much debated question
as to where the army of Illerup Aadal had originally come from.
with vivid implications for the nature of his political mission.
Keywords: southern Scandinavia, strontium isotopes, migration, bioarchaeology
Keywords: state formation, foreigners, Scandinavia, Viking Age, protohistoric archaeology
sites that today constitute one of the very foci of archaeological research. This article provides an overview of the current status of liberal metal detector archaeology in Denmark 30 years after its inception, and attempts to identify the reasons why this popular hobby never developed into the problem it has
become in other parts of the world. It concludes that the success of the liberal model in Denmark is the result of a very complex interplay of legislative, historical, cultural, and social factors. On this basis, it is discussed whether the Danish experience can be used as a source of inspiration in the necessary progression towards a new legal agenda for responsible metal detector archaeology.
the material world of a Germanic army
from c. AD 210. Apart from the personal
equipment and the weaponry of more than
400 warriors, it comprises four horses.
The present paper gives the first conclusive
analysis of the skeletal remains of these
animals, involving osteological investigation
and strontium isotope analysis. The results
shed new light on the character of the
sacrificial ceremonies which unfolded in the
aftermath of Iron Age battles; on the nature
of cavalry and its significance in Iron Age
warfare; and on the much debated question
as to where the army of Illerup Aadal had originally come from.
with vivid implications for the nature of his political mission.
Keywords: southern Scandinavia, strontium isotopes, migration, bioarchaeology
Keywords: state formation, foreigners, Scandinavia, Viking Age, protohistoric archaeology
In many countries the expansion of private metal detecting has resulted in an explosion of archaeological material. For the archeological museums in particular the challenge is overwhelming, claiming resources for recording, preservation and storing this apparently ever growing supply. Avoiding creating orphaned archaeological collections, museums and researchers are deeply concerned with the difficulties and opportunities when transforming material gathered by a conscientious public into a useful source for both scholars and the public. For the amateurs, the image of metal detection as a scrupulous treasury hunt has changed to into a hobby that has responsibilities. For the professional archaeologists, changing what some has called " an uncontrollable threat " into a proper study of the past has been demanding. Papers may explore efforts done to build a relationship between archaeologists and metal-detector users over the past fifty years and also how collaborations between the archaeological and the metal-detecting communities have developed. Papers discussing the use of artefacts found by non-professional metal detecting in research, exhibition and outreach activities are very welcome.
Dobat, A., Deckers, P., Heeren, S., Lewis, M., Thomas, S., & Wessman, A. (2020). Towards a Cooperative Approach to Hobby Metal Detecting: The European Public Finds Recording Network (EPFRN) Vision Statement. European Journal of Archaeology, 23(2), 272-292.