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Multifunctional Combs From Birka - Projekt Forlǫg
Multifunctional Combs From Birka - Projekt Forlǫg
Multifunctional Combs From Birka - Projekt Forlǫg
Recently, my sponsor Michael Weller drew my attention to an interesting find from Birka, which I overlooked
for years and which has the potential to become quite popular in reenactment, although I have not seen its
successful reproduction to this day – a multifunctional comb. I would like to briefly describe this interesting
find in the article below, mention analogies and comment on the issue of multifunctionality of historical
tools.
(https://sagy.vikingove.cz/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/FotoJet-9.jpg)Historical multitools.
Left: Roman instrument from the 3rd century AD (Fitzwilliam Museum 2020).
Right: drawing of an instrument from about 1500 AD (Universitätsbibliothek Frankfurt am Main, Ms germ
qu, 14 fol. 136r).
Of the early medieval multitools, it is possible to mention razors and pivoting knives. One of the razors was
found in the grave of Bj 456 in Birka and consists of a metal case from which two identical razors can be tilted
(Arbman 1940: 184.4; Arwidsson 1989: 95). Another razor with two blades, which are probably fixed with one
rivet, was found in grave IV in Alsike, Sweden, which can be dated to the second half of the 9th century (Arne
1934: 29, Taf. VIII.7). In this connection, it is possible to mention the pivoting knife from Canterbury, which
is equipped with a double-sided blade – a smaller blade, similar to today’s box cutter, serves as a tail, while a
larger blade is long enough to fill the whole decorated case (Graham-Campbell 1978). Very similar blades have
also been found in York and Winchester (Goodall 1990, 837, Fig. 251.2644, 2648; Ottaway 1989: 887, Fig. 20.2978;
Ottaway – Rogers 2002: 2791-3, Fig. 1380). The handles of many other razors were provided with eyelets for
hanging or were formed by long metal straps/spike, the function of which is yet to be found.
(https://sagy.vikingove.cz/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/britva-birka.png)Above: a razor from the grave
of Bj 456 in Birka (Arbman 1940: 181.4).
Bottom: pivoting knife from Canterbury (Graham-Campbell 1978: Fig. 3b).
Other interesting Early medieval multitools are Alanic fibulas of the 9th-10th century, which combine the
function of a fibula, striker, thorn, tweezers and loop (Belyj 2013). The fibulas are reminiscent of the ancient
“pliers fibula” (Zangenfibeln), which are known in hundreds of pieces from the 4th century BC to the 4th
century AD (for example Feugère 1985: 426-45; Genčeva 2004: 123).
Bibliography
Ambrosiani, Kristina (1981). Viking Age Combs, Comb Making and Comb Makers in the Light of Finds from
Birka and Ribe, Stockholm.
Ambrosiani, Kristina (1984). Kämme. In: Arwidsson, Greta (ed.). Birka II:1. Systematische Analysen der
Gräberfunde, Stockholm, 161-176.
Arbman, Holger (1940–1943). Birka I. Die Gräber. Text (1943), Tafeln (1940), Stockholm.
Arne, T. J. (1934). Das Bootgräberfeld von Tuna in Alsike, Uppland, Stockholm.
Arwidsson, Greta (1989). Klappmesser. In: Arwidsson, Greta (ed.). Birka II:3. Systematische Analysen der
Gräberfunde, Stockholm, 95–96.
Ashby, S. P. (2011). An Atlas of Medieval Combs from Northern Europe. In: Internet Archaeology 30 [online].
[2021-01-12]. Available from: http://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue30/ashby_index.html
(http://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue30/ashby_index.html).
Belyj 2013 = Белый, А. В. (2013). Находки двух железных фибул хазарской эпохи на территории Юго-
Западного Крыма // ‛Pωμαĩος: сборник статей к 60-летию проф. С. Б. Сорочана. Сост. А. Н. Домановский,
Харьков, 418-425.
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Archaeology 22, 130-133.
Goodall, I. H. (1990). Knives. In: Biddle, M. (ed.). Object and Economy in Medieval Winchester, Winchester Studies
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Ottaway, Patrick – Rogers, N. S. H. (2002). Craft, Industry and Everyday Life: Finds from Medieval York (The
Archaeology of York 17/15), York.