‘The feather cloak whistled’ : Bird Fibulae, Falconry and Powerful Women in Seventh Century Scandinavia
Jennbert, Kristina LU
(2023)
p.102-116
- Abstract
- The bird fibulae were used for a relatively short period in the seventh century in the southern Scandinavian Late Iron Age, the Vendel Period. A close visual and contextual analysis of the bird fibulae propose that their form and decoration indicate a falconry association. Their outline and ornamentation are suggestive of raptors and the tethering of these birds in falconry practice. Their archaeological and social contexts, and possible pre-Christian mythological connections suggest that they were primarily associated with high-status women, the goddess Freyja, and the practice of falconry (hawking). The socio-political world of the bird fibulae, and the messages they engendered, embodied and communicated, was maintained in a spectrum of... (More)
- The bird fibulae were used for a relatively short period in the seventh century in the southern Scandinavian Late Iron Age, the Vendel Period. A close visual and contextual analysis of the bird fibulae propose that their form and decoration indicate a falconry association. Their outline and ornamentation are suggestive of raptors and the tethering of these birds in falconry practice. Their archaeological and social contexts, and possible pre-Christian mythological connections suggest that they were primarily associated with high-status women, the goddess Freyja, and the practice of falconry (hawking). The socio-political world of the bird fibulae, and the messages they engendered, embodied and communicated, was maintained in a spectrum of alliances and conflicts in the realms in southern Scandinavia, before there was further regime change and the bird fibulae and women who wore them, lost their power. The bird fibulae in association with raptors enables a new perspective on the artworks, social mobility and political power. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/bc9783e1-fa43-441e-adfc-efdee11c62de
- author
- Jennbert, Kristina
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023-10-05
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Bird fibulae, Falconry (Hawking), Raptors, Visual communication, Iron Age Scandinavia, Vendel Period, Freyja, Loki, Familia, Bird fibulae, Falconry (Hawking), Raptors, Visual communication, Iron Age Scandinavia, Vendel Period, Freyja, Loki, Familia
- host publication
- The Art and Archaeology of Human Engagements with Birds of Prey : From Prehistory to the Present - From Prehistory to the Present
- editor
- Wallis, Robert J.
- pages
- 14 pages
- publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- ISBN
- 9781350267985
- 9781350268005
- 9781350268012
- DOI
- 10.5040/9781350268029.ch-006
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- bc9783e1-fa43-441e-adfc-efdee11c62de
- date added to LUP
- 2023-10-07 15:46:10
- date last changed
- 2023-12-19 15:32:42
@inbook{bc9783e1-fa43-441e-adfc-efdee11c62de,
abstract = {{The bird fibulae were used for a relatively short period in the seventh century in the southern Scandinavian Late Iron Age, the Vendel Period. A close visual and contextual analysis of the bird fibulae propose that their form and decoration indicate a falconry association. Their outline and ornamentation are suggestive of raptors and the tethering of these birds in falconry practice. Their archaeological and social contexts, and possible pre-Christian mythological connections suggest that they were primarily associated with high-status women, the goddess Freyja, and the practice of falconry (hawking). The socio-political world of the bird fibulae, and the messages they engendered, embodied and communicated, was maintained in a spectrum of alliances and conflicts in the realms in southern Scandinavia, before there was further regime change and the bird fibulae and women who wore them, lost their power. The bird fibulae in association with raptors enables a new perspective on the artworks, social mobility and political power.}},
author = {{Jennbert, Kristina}},
booktitle = {{The Art and Archaeology of Human Engagements with Birds of Prey : From Prehistory to the Present}},
editor = {{Wallis, Robert J.}},
isbn = {{9781350267985}},
keywords = {{Bird fibulae; Falconry (Hawking); Raptors; Visual communication; Iron Age Scandinavia; Vendel Period; Freyja; Loki; Familia; Bird fibulae; Falconry (Hawking); Raptors; Visual communication; Iron Age Scandinavia; Vendel Period; Freyja; Loki; Familia}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{10}},
pages = {{102--116}},
publisher = {{Bloomsbury Publishing}},
title = {{‘The feather cloak whistled’ : Bird Fibulae, Falconry and Powerful Women in Seventh Century Scandinavia}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.5040/9781350268029.ch-006}},
doi = {{10.5040/9781350268029.ch-006}},
year = {{2023}},
}