A Story of Swords

Few objects from history summarise power and status better than the sword. Throughout the middle ages, swords would be expensive, reserved for the wealthiest members of society, and rare compared to how widely the media portrays them today. By the era we associate with the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings (the 9th to 11th centuries), the skill of sword-smithing had become a fine art, giving swords a near legendary reputation. This example is no exception.

The Viking sword from Bath

It was discovered in the 1980s, on its own, in a ditch outside Bath’s old city walls. It was allegedly still sharp upon discovery, a testament to the quality craftsmanship involved in making this weapon. The blade itself has a black patina which indicates an early method of protecting swords against corrosion, an issue anyone looking after a sword would have to deal with. 

Interestingly, there were small remains of leather and wood fused with the blade, including the scabbard it was buried in. Organic materials do not survive well in most climates, so this was a lucky find and can provide some indication of how scabbards were made in period.

The hilt of the sword; traces of the leather originally wrapped around the tang are still visible

One of the most striking features is the blade inscription. It may look like it has been lifted straight from the pages of Tolkien, but it is one of over a hundred and fifty such examples of inscribed blades from the 9th to 11th century. The most common inscription amongst this group of swords reads ‘the sword of Ulfberht’, which is why these swords are broadly referred to as Ulfberht swords. Other examples do exist, such as ‘the sword of Ingelrii’.  

Surely this is more than just a maker’s mark, perhaps becoming a workshop’s brand as the use of these inscriptions goes on for longer than any individual's lifetime. The runes on this particular blade do not seem to exactly spell ‘Ulfberht’, which could mean it is trying to mimic one of these prestigious blades, or it could just be a spelling error! It is unknown where they originate from, but one popular theory suggests the forge’s location was somewhere along the River Rhine in what is now Germany. To me, it represents how much value swords had in society. It gives a far more complex perspective of power, politics and artistic culture than many other objects from this period can.

Finlay

Placement Student

關於… 武器和工具 (It's all about..... Weapons and Tools)

國家科學與工程週(Science Week)在巴斯舉行期間，訪客受邀去參觀和接觸羅馬古浴場(Roman Baths)博物館收藏的一些文物。 我們會鼓勵訪客試想一下到底工具從中石器時代到新石器時代 (約西元前10,000年-約西元前3,200年)、銅器時代 (約西元前3,200年-約西元前700年)、鐵器時代 (約西元前700年-約西元100年)、一直到不列顛時期 (約西元43年-約西元400-500年) 是怎樣製造的。



我的「展示桌」上陳列了一些仿製的燧石工具和兩個新石器時代的燧石箭頭-- 一個來自於約克郡、另一個於1979年在巴斯挖掘國王浴池(King’s Bath)/ 「聖泉」(Sacred Spring)的過程中被發現。訪客很享受可以親手觸摸仿製的燧石工具，當中包括一把手斧、一把燧石刀、一把燧石鋸和一些用作清潔動物皮毛的燧石刮刀。

緊挨著燧石工具，訪客可以觸摸一把在布里斯托發現的屬於銅器時代有”插柄”的斧頭的仿製品，他們也可以仔細觀察一把屬於博物館收藏的銅器時代的凸緣斧和矛頭。



我們的訪客還能接觸到一團團於1990年在巴斯伊斯頓(Bath Easton)旁道挖掘出來的金屬加工廢料。 在雅芳山谷(Avon Valley)和環巴斯山區中，分布着許多鐵器時代的居所，比如巴斯安普敦下區(Bathampton Down)的營地。



最後，展示桌上有一張仍在羅馬古浴場博物館展出的銅弩墊圈(Ballista washer)的照片。這一塊根據我們其中一個訪客形容為“看起來像一個栓”的圓形銅鑄塊 (說起來真的有點像呢!) ，它與其它三個墊圈一起被用來組裝在重木框架的四個角落成為羅馬弩炮 (Roman Ballista) 的前段。

弩炮是一個攻城武器，它有點像一個很大的十字弓。它可以用來射箭或是發射一些大概六英吋至一英呎長的弩箭。1979年，在挖掘國王浴池裡的聖泉時也發現了銅弩墊圈。當它被發現的時候，考古學家們還以為，那些銅弩墊圈是屬於

他們為了方便挖掘，用來抽走國王浴池裡的水的那個泵! 我們也告訴遊客在意大利和伊拉克也發現了類似的”墊圈”。實驗考古學的證明讓專家們可以從墊圈的大小辨別弩炮的原本尺寸。 我們擁有的是最小的，所以它大概是來自比較小的武器。



非常有意思的是，為甚麼那些墊圈會跟其他的羅馬貢品一起出現在聖泉(Sacred Spring) 裡面呢? 或許它是作為感謝或是為即將到來的戰鬥祈福的祭品，被羅馬炮兵扔進聖泉的?讓我們的訪客感到最有趣的是，這些弩墊圈是在燧石工具中展出的新石器時代燧石箭頭的發掘地附近發現的。 考古學家認為在羅馬人來到巴斯前，聖泉的位置就已舉足輕重。 或許這些燧石箭頭是作為祭品或是許願物獻給當時的神明，而這些神明比後來入主巴斯的羅馬智慧女神麥涅瓦(Minerva) 或泉水女神蘇利絲(Aqua Sulis)還要早上千年。

Source text: http://bathsbloggers.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/its-all-about-weapons-and-tools.html


Translated by Ruby Chung - Cardiff University MA Translation Student

Tout sur.. Les armes et les outils (It's all about... weapons and tools)

Pendant la National Science and Engineering Week (la Semaine nationale de la science et l'ingénierie) des Roman Baths (Bains romains), les visiteurs ont été invités à regarder et à toucher quelques-uns des objets de la collection du musée. Les visiteurs étaient encouragés à considérer la création d’outils de la période Mésolithique à la période Néolithique (environ 10, 000 et 3200 ans av. J.-C.); à l'âge de bronze (environ 3, 200 et 700 ans av. J.-C.); à l'âge de fer (environs 700 ans av. J.-C. et 100 ans ap. J.-C.); et à la période Britto-romaine (environ 43 et 400-500 ans ap. J.-C.).

Mon stand présentait des répliques d'outils en silex et deux pointes de flèche en silex néolithiques - une qui provenant du Yorkshire et l’autre découverte pendant les excavations du King's Bath (le Bain du Roi) / 'Sacred Spring' (la source sacrée) de 1979. Les visiteurs se sont amusés en manipulant les répliques d'outils en silex, comprenant un biface, un couteau en silex, une scie en silex et quelques grattoirs pour gratter la peau des animaux.

Moi et mon stand.

À côté des outils en silex, les visiteurs pouvait manipuler une réplique d'une hache à douille de l'âge de bronze qui découverte à Bristol, une hache plate, et une pointe de lance qui font partie de la collection du musée.

Les visiteurs pouvaient aussi toucher des morceaux de déchets de métal découverts pendant l'excavation de la rocade de Bath-Easton en 1990. Il y a en effet un grand nombre de vestiges de l'âge de fer dans la vallée d'Avon et sur les collines qui entourent Bath, comme le campement à Bathampton Down.

Pour finir, l'exposition présentait la photo d'une rondelle en bronze issue d'une baliste exposée au Roman Baths Museum (le musée des bains romains). Selon un de nos visiteurs, ce morceau de bronze coulé ressemble << un peu à une bonde, >> et on ne peut pas dire qu’il ait tort! Cet objet était conçu pour rester, avec trois autres, dans les quatre coins d'une grande charpente qui servait comme la pièce avant d'une baliste romaine.

Rondelle pour baliste romaine de la collection BATRM 1983.13.b.1

Une baliste est une arme de siège un peu comme une très grande arbalète. Elle tirait des flèches ou des carreaux d’une longueur de 15 à 30 centimètres. La rondelle en bronze a été découverte pendant l'excavation du Sacred Spring dans le King's Bath en 1979. Quand elle a été trouvée, les archéologues ont cru qu'elle faisait partie de la pompe moderne qu'ils utilisaient pour tirer l'eau du King's Bath afin de le fouiller! J’ai dit aux visiteurs que quelques autres de ces 'rondelles' ont été trouvées en Italie et en Iraq, et que l'archéologie expérimentale a démontré que la taille de la rondelle détermine la taille de la baliste dont elle faisait partie. La notre est une des rondelles les plus petites, et provient donc probablement d'une petite arme.

Ce qui est intéressant est la manière dont la rondelle est arrivée dans la Sacred Spring avec les autres vestiges romains. Peut-être la rondelle a-t-elle été jetée dans la Sacred Spring par un soldat d'artillerie comme don pour remercier les dieux ou comme prière de vaincre dans une bataille imminente? Les visiteurs ont trouvé intéressant le fait que la rondelle ait été trouvée près d'une pointe de flèche Néolithique en silex qui faisait partie de l'exposition. Les archéologues croient que le site de la Sacred Spring avait de l'importance avant l'arrivée des romains à Bath. Peut-être la pointe de flèche en silex a-t-elle été jetée dans la source comme un don, ou un don votif, aux dieux qu'on croyait être là des milliers d'années avant l'arrivée de la déesse Minerve ou Aquae Sulis à Bath.

Source text: http://bathsbloggers.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/its-all-about-weapons-and-tools.html

Translated by Sarah Uhl - Cardiff University MA Tanslation Student.

Es dreht sich alles um... Waffen und Werkzeuge (It's all about..... weapons and tools)

Während der Woche der Wissenschaft in den Roman Baths wurden Besucher dazu eingeladen einen Blick auf die Artefakte unserer Museumssammlung zu werfen und selbstständig Hand anzulegen. Wir ermutigten sie sich vorzustellen wie Werkzeuge in uralten Zeiten hergestellt wurden: von der Mittelsteinzeit zur Jungsteinzeit (ca. 10.000 - ca. 3.200 v.Chr.), in der Bronzezeit (ca.3.200 - ca.700 v.Chr), der Eisenzeit (ca.700 v.Chr. - ca.100 n.Chr.) und in der romano-britischen Zeit (43 - 400-500 n.Chr.).

Mein Demonstrationsstand stellte Nachbildungen von Handwerkzeugen aus Feuerstein und zwei Pfeilspitzen aus der Jungsteinzeit zur Schau, wobei eines aus Yorkshire stammt und das andere bei den Bädern während der Ausgrabungen des King's Bath / 'Sacred Spring' (die Heilige Quelle) in 1979 gefunden wurde. Die Besucher erfreuten sich an dem Umgang mit den Feuersteinhandwerken: Zur Verfügung stand ein Faustkeil, ein Messer und eine Säge aus Feuerstein und einige Spachtel aus dem selben Material, die zur Reinigung von Tierhäutern verwendet wurden.

Ich und mein Demonstrationsstand

Neben den Feuersteinwerkzeugen durften die Besucher eine Nachbildung einer Gussform des Kopfes eines Tüllenbeils aus der Jungsteinzeit anfassen, das in Bristol entdeckt wurde. Ein Randleistenbeil aus der Bronzezeit und eine Speerspitze aus der Museumssammlung waren ebenfalls unter den erkundeten Objekten.

Klumpen aus den Überresten einer Metallverarbeitung, die 1990 in einer Umgehungsstraße in Batheaston ausgegraben wurden, durften auch angefasst und in die Hand genommen werden. Es gibt etliche Siedlungen aus der Eisenzeit im Avon Valley und auf den Hügeln um Bath herum, wie etwa das Lager in Bathampton Down.

Schließlich bietet unser Demonstrationsstand auch ein Foto von einem Bronzedichtungsring einer Balliste, der in unserem Roman Baths Museum ausgestellt ist. Dieses runde Objekt aus Gussbronze „sieht ein wenig aus wie ein Stöpsel“, behauptete ein Besucher, und da hat er einfach recht! Es wurde hergestellt, um mit drei weiteren Ringen an den vier Ecken eines schweren Holzrahmens zu haften, welches das vordere Stück einer römischen Balliste ausmacht.

Römischer Dichtungsring einer Balliste aus der Roman Baths Sammlung BATRM 1983.13.b.1

Eine Balliste war eine Belagerungswaffe und einer sehr großen Armbrust ähnlich, die Pfeile oder Bolzen abfeuerte, die zwischen 15 und 30 cm lang waren. Der Bronzedichtungsring wurde auch während der Ausgrabungen in der Sacred Spring im King's Bath in 1979 gefunden. Als es entdeckt wurde dachten die Archäologen, es gehöre zu der modernen Pumpe, die sie dazu benutzten Wasser aus dem King's Bath zu pumpen, um die Ausgrabungen ausführen zu können! Unseren Besuchern wurde erklärt, dass ähnliche Dichtungsringe in Italien und im Irak gefunden wurden und dass experimentelle Archäologie herausfand, dass die Größe des Dichtungsrings den Experten die Größe der Balliste, von der er stammt, vermittelt. Unser ist einer der kleinsten Versionen, weshalb er wahrscheinlich von einer kleinen Waffe entsprang.

Es ist interessant herauszufinden zu versuchen, wie der Dichtungsring in die Sacred Spring gelang, samt anderen Gaben der römischen Zeit, in die Sacred Spring gelangte. Möglicherweise wurde er als Opfergabe von einem Soldaten der römischen Artillerie als Dank oder als ein Gebet um Glück in einer kommenden Schlacht zu bitten in die Quelle geworfen? Was unsere Besucher besonders neugierig machte war, dass der Dichtungsring der Balliste in der Nähe der Feuersteinpfeilspitze aus der Jungsteinzeit, welches mit den Feuersteinwerkzeugen ausgestellt war, entdeckt wurde! Archäologen vermuten, dass der Ort der Sacred Spring von großer Wichtigkeit war, bevor die Römer nach Bath kamen und vielleicht wurde die Feuersteinpfeilspitze als Opfer- oder Weihgabe in die Quelle geworfen, um den Göttern zu huldigen - welche auch immer zu der Zeit, 1000 Jahre bevor die römische Göttin Minerva oder Aquae Sulis in Bath erschien, angebetet wurden.

Source text: http://bathsbloggers.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/its-all-about-weapons-and-tools.html

Translated by Mirjam Zdybel - University of Wales Cardiff MA Tanslation Student.

Part II – The life of Gladiatrix

Bronze statue of a female gladiator raising her sword in victory.

So, last time we were introduced to the idea of female gladiators and now we’ve got over the shock, we can start examining them in greater detail.

As I said last time, female gladiators may have fought with lighter equipment, but that doesn’t mean that their equipment was light. In fact it was probably very heavy and therefore our female gladiators, Amazon and Achillia, must have had some training.

But where? No ludus or gladiator school had facilities for women. It’s possible that ex-gladiators trained their daughters at home if they had no sons, but this is a very specific set of circumstances which doesn’t correlate with the number of female gladiators.

An alternative lies in the collegia invenum. These were youth societies for young aristocratic males which would have had all the appropriate training equipment.

This solution becomes even more palpable when it is considered that most female gladiators were wealthy ladies drawn in by the fame and glamour of the arena. The law of 22B.C (and several subsequent laws) appears to have done little to stop them competing. Indeed, the fact that such laws had to be rewritten and reintroduced several times over implies that they were constantly flouted.

It’s unlikely that there were many, if any, slave female fighters as it’s hard to imagine a female slave being sold to a ludus when there were other more ‘feminine’ options readily available. Therefore, most female gladiators were probably wealthy ladies and wealthy ladies were a common sight in the collegia.

So, that answers the questions of who they were and where they trained, but how many of them were there and how were they viewed?

There are a few preserved programmes of the games which mention female fighters and an inscription at Ostia highly praises its organiser for displaying them. In most cases the women were scheduled to fight in the late afternoon, otherwise known as the Roman ‘top spot’.

Placing them in this position suggests a measure of popularity. The Romans were great fans of novelty and probably hugely enjoyed the spectacle of female fighters.

This is, of course, only the common opinion. Wealthy authors have a great deal to say on the scandalous nature of female fighters. But then, they have a great deal to say on the scandalous nature of male gladiators too and yet the games remained immensely popular.

The surviving programmes coupled with scattered literary mentions also provide clues as to how many there were. The short answer is; few enough to be considered an unusual and spectacular event, but not so few that any appearance of them warranted a lengthy treatise on the genius of the organiser.

So, in summary, there were probably a fair few, they probably trained in the collegia invenum, were reasonably popular, and were mostly wealthy women.

Emma P.

Sources:

Coleman, C. (2000) ‘Missio at Halicarnassus’ Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. 100, 487-5000

Kyle, D. (2007) Sport and spectacle in the ancient word. Oxford.

Murray, S. (2003) ‘Female gladiators of the ancient Roman world’, Journal of Combative Sport, (Electronic journals: http://ejmas.com/jcs/jcsart_murray_0703.htm)

It's all About..... Weapons and Tools

During Science Week at the Roman Baths, visitors were invited to look at and handle some of the artefacts from the museum collection. Our visitors were encouraged to consider how tools were made during the Mesolithic to Neolithic period (c. c.10, 000 BC to c.3, 200 BC); the Bronze Age (c.3, 200 BC to c.700 BC); the Iron Age (c.700 BC to c.100AD); and the Romano-British period (43AD to c.400-500AD).

My ‘handling table’ held replica flint hand tools and two Neolithic flint arrow-heads – one from Yorkshire and one found at the Baths during excavations of the King’s Bath / ‘Sacred Spring’ in 1979. Visitors enjoyed handling the replica flint hand tools, which included a hand axe, a flint knife, a flint saw and some flint scrapers that were used to clean animal skins.

Me at my handling table

Next to the flint tools, visitors handled a replica cast of a Bronze Age ‘socketed’ axe head that was discovered in Bristol and examined a Bronze Age ‘flanged’ axe and a spear head from the Museum’s collection.

Our visitors were also able to handle lumps of metal working waste which were excavated from the Bath Easton bypass in 1990. There are a number of Iron Age settlements in the Avon valley and on the hills surrounding Bath, such as the camp at Bathampton Down.

Finally, the handling table held a photograph of the bronze ballista washer that is on display in the Roman Baths Museum. This circular piece of cast bronze looks a “bit like a plug”, according to one of our visitors, and it does! It was made to sit, with three others, on the four corners of the heavy wooden frame which made the front piece of a Roman ballista.

Roman ballista washer from Roman Baths collection BATRM 1983.13.b.1

A ballista was a siege weapon a little like a very large crossbow, which fired arrows, or bolts that were between six inches and up to a foot long. The bronze washer was also found during the excavation of the Sacred Spring in the King’s Bath in 1979; and when it was found, archaeologists thought that it belonged to the modern pump they were using to pump water from the King’s Bath so they could excavate! Our visitors were also told that similar ‘washers’ were found in Italy and Iraq, and experimental archaeology has shown that the size of the washer tells experts the size of the ballista weapon they came from – ours is one of the smallest, so probably came from one of the smaller weapons.

It is interesting how the washer came to be in the Sacred Spring along with other Roman offerings. Perhaps the washer was thrown into the Sacred Spring by a Roman artillery soldier as an offering for thanks for or a prayer for luck in a coming battle? What our visitors found most intriguing is that the ballista washer was found close to the Neolithic flint arrow-head that was with the flint tools on display! Archaeologists think that the site of the Sacred Spring was important before the Romans came to Bath, and maybe the flint arrowhead was thrown into the spring as an ‘offering’, or a votive, to whichever gods were believed to have been there thousands of years before the Roman goddess Minerva or Aquae Sulis came to Bath.

Tony - Collections placement