Hunting Arms and Equipment in Medieval Iconography

Religion und Gesellschaft im nördlichen westslawischen Raum : Beiträge der Sektion zur slawischen Frühgeschichte der 22. Jahrestagung des Mittel- und Ostdeutschen Verbandes für Altertumsforschung in Chemnitz, 29.-31. März 2016 / hrsg. von Felix Biermann, Thomas Kersting und Anne Klammt, 2017

Studia Universitatis Cibiniensis. Series Historica, 2011

Among over 900 early medieval axes found in the territory of Poland only 27 have some kind of ornaments. Within them we can identify axes with different decoration techniques: engraving, punching or inlay. This small group of artefacts is connected with the most interesting problem which can be discussed in the area of technological, symbolic, religious and social issues. Therefore, we can suggest that ornamented axes had a special destination and was precious for its owners. It is confirmed by the most popular opinion that they were associated with the social elite of early medieval Europe. Axes were symbols of power, rank and wealth. But, what is interesting, some of researchers think that they could be connected with cult of Pagan gods -Perun and Perkun. The others consider that they were the attributes of Saint Olaf.

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2011

An ornamented artefact made of antler, found in the environs of Swidwin (Pomerania, NW Poland), was subject to structural and environmental analysis. Radiocarbon dating (10 700 AE 60 BP or 10 910e10 680 cal. BC) places it in the Final Palaeolithic, at the end of Weichselian (boundary of the Allerød and Younger Dryas). The surface of the artefact bears a complex ornament of zigzag lines and an anthropomorphic drawing, representing most probably a woman with spread legs. Palynological analysis of the deposit in which the object was found indicates forest communities (pine-birch forests) with some open areas, in a cool climate. Ultrastructural examination points to the elk Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758) as the source species; the antler was at the stage of intense growth which indicates that the elk was killed or died in the spring-summer period. The antler was large, and the object made of it was used for a long time, playing a role in rituals and symbolic culture of a hunting group. The ornamentation shows an affinity to the early Mesolithic art and makes it possible to better trace the relations between the hunters of the late Pleistocene and those of the early Holocene.

Iaie Pan Sygn P Iii 348, 2009

The origin of spear-heads with two side-wings projecting from the socket, according to a common view, is Frankish. There is a hypohesis suggesting that lugs or wings developed from rivet heads. These were applied, to secure the spear-head, or to fasten the wire binding and the iron langets to the shaft 1. However, it seems more likely that the investigated weapon derived from antiquity, rather than the early medieval period. The lugged spear was originally used by the Romans for hunting. Such function of the weapon is confirmed by the Bestiarius or Ventator 2-depiction sculpted on a 2 nd century grave stone from Parma (Fig. 1 : a) 3. Yet another winged hafted weapon had been carved in a relief, decorating the Roman sarcophagus kept in the Capitoline Museum in Rome (Fig. 1 : b) 4. Mosaics from the Roman Villa near Piazza Armerina in Sicily, the Villa Borghese gallery in Rome, and the Roman Villa in Merida, Spain, all dated to the 1 st half of the 4 ,h century are abundant in hunting scenes 5. They clearly indicate that the lugged spear was used for hunting big game, such as the wild boar. Therefore, it is more than probable that Merovingian and Carolingian winged spears originated from Roman hunting weapons. In the light of the presented evidence it seems unlikely that Frankish spears are an independent development, exclusively determined by experience gained from battle, as frequently stated in the literature 6. Several examples of renaissance boar spears are identical to their 9 th century Frankish belligerent counterparts. One such exhibit dated to 1500-1540 comes from the Dresden Amory 7. Miniatures from medieval illuminated manuscripts provide

easternmost arcade between the presbytery and southern walk of the ambulatory. The monarch's tomb was hewn out of red limestone, quarried in the vicinity of Esztergom in Hungary, and cream-coloured limestone extracted in the Pińczów area of Lesser Poland. It consists of a free-standing tomb-chest with an effi gy of the deceased on the slab on top and features eight seated men beneath arcades on the sides, two on each of the east and west faces, and four on the south face. The north side remained undecorated as it abuts the wall between the eastern bay of the presbytery, where the high altar of the cathedral is located, and the ambulatory. A three-bay baldachin, supported by columns standing on top of the tomb-chest and featuring rich microarchitectural decoration, rises over the tomb-chest.

"Światowit", 2016

Royal Insignia of Late Antiquity from Mšec and Řevničov. Magnificent Finds from the Migration Period from Central Bohemia, 2023

The chapter of the book focuses on the find of the gilt silver pelta-shaped pendant of the horse harness from Řevničov (Bohemia) from the 6th century AD. Its decoration (Salin’s Style 1). The double motive of the human mask in a shape of the Vendel helmet raises a number of questions about the provenance of the item, its social significance, and the potential spread of the helmets of the Vendel-type also within the Continent.

Archaeologia historica, 2021

There are known over twenty late-medieval, iron axes from Poland with significantly reduced sizes. Three of them were excavated in the borderland of Silesia, Greater Poland and Brandenburg from stronghold-castle and urban archaeological contexts. In the scholarship, these artefacts were considered amulets, toys, weapons, badges and tools. Author concludes that smaller specimens, could have been used as apotropaic amulets or objects related to the cult of St. Wolfgang, while larger axes, with hardened blades, were most likely specialized carpentry tools, adopted perhaps also in self-defense, if necessary.

Archaeologia Historica, 2021

There are known over twenty late-medieval, iron axes from Poland with significantly reduced sizes. Three of them were excavated in the borderland of Silesia, Greater Poland and Brandenburg from stronghold-castle and urban archaeological contexts. In the scholarship, these artefacts were considered amulets, toys, weapons, badges and tools. Author concludes that smaller specimens, could have been used as apotropaic amulets or objects related to the cult of St. Wolfgang, while larger axes, with hardened blades, were most likely specialized carpentry tools, adopted perhaps also in self-defense, if necessary.