Riksantikvarieämbetet

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The Spur Goad from Herslev: tracing the Legacy of a Western Slavic Rider in Viking Age Denmark
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Germany.
Museum Vestsjælland, Denmark.
Responsible organisation
2025 (English)In: Fornvännen, ISSN 0015-7813, E-ISSN 1404-9430, Vol. 120, no 2, p. 96-119Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

In April 2023, during a metal detector survey at Herslev on Sjælland, a Danish archaeology enthusiast uncovered a remarkable Western Slavic spur goad. This small copper alloy artefact features a three-dimensional horse figure and was originally part of an elaborate spur, representing a group of high-status items known as ‘spurs of the Lutomiersk type’ or ‘zoomorphic spurs’. Similar specimens found across Europe suggest that these spurs were produced in Poland, showcasing a sophisticated ‘animal style’ that developed in the Piast state during the tenth and eleventh centuries. This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the Herslev goad, placing it in the broader context of analogous items from Poland and other regions of Viking Age Europe. It examines the artefact’s socio-geographical context at Herslev and explores the circumstances of its deposition. The analysis carefully suggests that the goad may have belonged to a prominent equestrian warrior of Western Slavic origin, possibly tasked with an important mission in Denmark.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien, 2025. Vol. 120, no 2, p. 96-119
Keywords [en]
Viking Age; Scandinavia; Western Slavs; Poland; Riding equipment; Animal style
National Category
History and Archaeology Archaeology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:raa:diva-8641OAI: oai:DiVA.org:raa-8641DiVA, id: diva2:1960993
Available from: 2025-05-26 Created: 2025-05-26 Last updated: 2025-06-09Bibliographically approved

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34567897 of 9
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf