Riksantikvarieämbetet

The excavations of Birka’s Garrison in 1997–2004 produced a rich and varied findmaterial of unusual character. Most striking are the weapons, 400 in total. The warriors who lived in the Garrison seem from the finds to have been well trained in fighting techniques and to have been in contact with distant lands. Perhaps they were periodically in foreign service, such as the Byzantine Emperor’s Varangian guard. Apart from the great number of weapons, some objects were found that remind us of everyday life. Re-examination and analysis of the excavation finds has identified a number of these as linked to writing activities, namely, runic plate amulets, bone fragments incised with runes and an iron stylus. To these, the author also wishes to add apossible wax tablet in the form of a damaged decorated antler plate found during excavations in the Garrison in 1934. The runic amulets and rune bones belonged to the private sphere and bore magical-ritual formulae. These fit well within amartial environment where the warriors would have invoked protection. The stylus and the wax tablet on the other hand belonged to a different, clerical, sphere.